Premier League

GRAHAM POTTER has admitted that he’s “looking at things” as speculation linking him with West Ham intensifies.The former Chelsea boss, 49, was in attendance as the Hammers lost 3-1 at Leicester last night.Graham Potter was on punditry duty last nightCredit: GettyJulen Lopetegui is facing the sack at West HamCredit: GettyWith the defeat coming hot off the heels of Saturday’s drubbing by Arsenal, West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui is facing the sack.Club chiefs have drawn up a three-man shortlist of potential successors for the Spaniard, including Potter.While working as a pundit for Amazon Prime Video, Potter was asked by presenter Dan Walker if he’s “looking at things”.He said: “Yeah, of course. As I’ve said before, you’re open to everything.READ MORE IN FOOTBALL”But at the same time I’m really enjoying this [punditry] as well.”Because it gives you another perspective, you get to see it from your eyes, how the media thinks about the game. That’s always interesting.”It’s a different lens, that can only make you better once you understand that as well, so I’ve enjoyed that.”Potter has been out of work since being sacked by Chelsea in April 2023.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSHe recently turned down Leicester, who appointed Ruud van Nistelrooy instead, and is thought to be interested in a potential vacancy at West Ham.Also on the Hammers’ radar is former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic. ‘It doesn’t come for free’ – Graham Potter reveals shock reason for 18 months of unemployment since Chelsea axeThe German, 42, led Dortmund to last season’s Champions League final, but it is unclear whether he’d be interested in joining West Ham.Sergio Conceicao is the other name on West Ham’s list, having won three league titles in seven seasons with Porto prior to leaving at the end of last season. More

WEST HAM are preparing a shortlist of potential replacements for Julen Lopetegui following their 3-1 defeat at Leicester.Ex-Chelsea boss Graham Potter, former Borussia Dortmund manager Edin Terzic and Sergio Conceicao are all under consideration.West Ham have lined up three candidates to replace Julen LopeteguiCredit: GettyEx-Chelsea manager Graham Potter is in the running should Lopetegui goCredit: GettyLopetegui was close to the sack before West Ham’s game at Newcastle last month.An impressive victory bought the former Wolves manager more time.But a shambolic defeat to Arsenal and a humbling at Leicester on Tuesday night have piled the pressure back on.The Hammers leadership are often reluctant to sack managers mid-season.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLYet it did not take long for concerns to build over Lopetegui’s role.Terzic led Dortmund to the Champions League final last season and is thought to be the favoured option within the club.There are, however, doubts over how keen he is on a move to the London Stadium.Conceicao, 50, won three Portuguese titles with Porto, who he left last summer.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSWhile Potter, who has been out of work since leaving Chelsea in April last year, recently turned down Leicester and is thought to be interested.Coincidentally, he was on punditry duty for the Hammers’ Leicester defeat on Amazon Prime Video. ‘It doesn’t come for free’ – Graham Potter reveals shock reason for 18 months of unemployment since Chelsea axeEx-Borussia Dortmund boss Edin Terzic is the preferred candidateCredit: AFPFormer Porto manager Sergio Conceicao is availableCredit: GettyPotter has been doing the rounds on TV in recent weeks and previously appeared on Sky Sports.And he will have seen close-hand exactly what problems West Ham are running into on the pitch.Jamie Vardy needed just two minutes to put the Foxes ahead on Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first game.Bilal El Khannouss doubled Leicester’s lead in the second half.And Patson Daka’s late strike ensured that Niclas Fullkrug’s 93rd minute effort was no more than a consolation for the visitors.West Ham at least face a kind looking set of fixtures up until playing Liverpool at the end of the year.Wolves, Bournemouth, Brighton and Southampton lie ahead in their next four games. More

RUBEN AMORIM doubts Mikel Arteta would have been given the  same time to succeed at Manchester United that he has received at Arsenal.Arteta won the 2020 FA Cup in his first season in charge but the Spaniard, who celebrates his FIFTH anniversary as Gunners boss this month, has yet to bring in any further trophies to the Emirates.Ruben Amorim reckons Mikel Arteta woud not have been afforded the time he’s had with Arsenal at Man UtdCredit: GettyAmorim’s United head to the Emirates on Wednesday night in a crunch clashCredit: RexNo United manager has lasted more than three years at Old Trafford since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.New Red Devils chief Amorim, who takes United to second-placed Arsenal on Wednesday, said: “It is always important for a coach to have that confidence, but we have to acknowledge that Manchester United is a little bit different.“All the attention that you guys put in here, all the time. So I know that sometimes it is not possible to have all that time.“So we will try to manage that and try to do things a little bit faster knowing that here is massive attention and massive judgment every day.”READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAmorim is full of praise for the job Arteta has done during his tenure at the Gunners.Arteta took over in December 2019 but had highs and lows, including losing six out of 11 games to dop out of the Champions League spots to arch-rivals Tottenham.Amorim, who replaced Erik ten Hag, says he hopes to have the same presence of mind as Arteta in the tough times at Old Trafford.He said: “He’s done an amazing job. Sometimes coaches are just judged about the titles, but what he has been doing in Arsenal, I think is amazing. It transformed the team.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS“He bought some youngsters that now are the big talents in this  country.“I hope to have the same mindset that he had in the difficult moments because I followed the Premier League for a long time.’TOTAL NONSENSE!’ Ex-Prem ref reacts as VAR helps Arsenal AGAIN with Saka & Timber calls at West HamLuke Shaw is injured and will miss United’s trip to ArsenalCredit: Getty“It’s a very good characteristic in Mikel, so I think he did a great job.”United left-back Luke Shaw will not be facing Arsenal after issuing an emotional statement last night revealing a new muscular injury.The England defender, 29, has had horrid luck with fitness problems since February. He missed the final three months of last season with a calf issue but played for England in the latter stages of the Euros.He then suffered a recurrence in pre-season but returned for three appearances under new boss Amorim before his latest setback.Heartbroken Shaw, who is expected to be out for several weeks, posted on Instagram: “It’s hurting a lot having to write this as I really thought I had got through my recent struggles but unfortunately I’ve had a setback.“This has definitely been my toughest period. I’m absolutely devastated and it’s extremely tough to come to terms with reality at this moment.READ MORE SUN STORIES“I understand there is gunna be people frustrated, angry, disappointed. No one is feeling that more than me.“But what I can promise is I will do everything I can to come back better soon to help this club achieve its ambitions this season.”Man Utd ratings vs Everton as Zirkzee answers his critics in style… but one midfielder strugglesRUBEN AMORIM celebrated his first Premier League game at Old Trafford with a stunning 4-0 victory over Everton.Marcus Rashford and Joshua Zirkzee shook off questions over their recent form with two each at a thrilled Old Trafford – as the Red Devils won a Prem game by four goals or more since the opening day of the 2021-22 season.Here’s how SunSport’s Ken Lawrence rated the Red Devils…ANDRE ONANA – 6Called into action early and showed growing his growing composure as No 1.NOUSSAIR MAZROUI – 6Has rapidly become one of the United faithful’s favourites doing himself no harm again.MATTHIJS DE LIGT – 6Stretched at first by bustling Beto but beginning to look like he’s settling down in a back three.LISANDRO MARTINEZ – 6Once again looking like the master and commander of the United rearguard.AMAD DIALLO – 8Went from wasteful to the plundering terror of centre backs Branthwaite and Tarkowski.KOBBIE MAINOO – 6Quiet, calm, controlled, no panic, no loss of possession, no problem for the midfielder.CASEMIRO – 5Looked like his lack of pace might be a problem again in central midfield but ground it out.DIOGO DALOT – 6Enjoying life in his new left-side forward role and didn’t really put a foot wrong.JOSHUA ZIRKZEE – 8Transformed himself from headless chicken to tripling his whole United tally with two clinical strikes.MARCUS RASHFORD – 9Ruben Amorim has gone out of his way to big up the front man and he’s responding in style.BRUNO FERNANDES – 6Wasteful for a while but got his head down to have a real influence by the end.SUBSLUKE SHAW (Mazraoui 56) – 5Comfortably easing himself back.HARRY MAGUIRE (de Ligt 56) – 5Looked happy to be out there.ALEJANDRO GARNACHO (Fernandes 66) – 5Got bustling off the bench.MANUEL UGARTE (Casemiro 66) – 5Will be wanting more minutes than this.MASON MOUNT (Mainoo 80) – 5Sharp and up for it. More

THE more things change the more they stay the same – as long as Jamie Vardy is around.The 37-year got Ruud van Nistelrooy’s reign off to the perfect start with a second minute opener – the SIXTH time he has got a new Foxes boss off the mark.Ruud Van Nistelrooy got off to winning ways as Leicester bossCredit: GettyJulen Lopetegui faces the West Ham sackCredit: RexVardy also christened Claudio Ranieri, Craig Shakespeare, Claude Puel, Brendan Rodgers, Steve Cooper’s Leicester careers with their opening goals.Van Nistelrooy will thank his luck that he has Vardy and Julen Lopetegui will curse his that he doesn’t have a Hammers equivalent.His side bossed much of this game yet couldn’t put away a string of chances and long before full-time disgusted Hammers fans were singing: “You’re getting sacked in the morning,” at their Spanish boss.Van Nistelrooy was able to celebrate a second half clincher from Bilal El Khannouss and it could have been even worse had sub Bobby De Codova-Reid’sphantom ‘third goal’ not been disallowed by a narrow VAR offside call.READ MORE IN football Van Nistelrooy received a warm rather than rapturous reception from his new support.It was as if Leicester fans were cautiously weighing him up before deciding whether they were having him or not.Van Nistelrooy looked a little lost as the applause and cheers soon faded – so he ended up reaching out and shaking the paw of club mascot Filbert Fox!Yet incredibly, less than two minutes later the Dutchman was punching the air in delight as his players gave him the perfect welcome with a speedy goal.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERSLeicester worked the ball neatly down the left then played it inside to Bilal El Khannouss who looked up and spotted Jamie Vardy haring off.He slid the ball through for the veteran to chase and the 37-year-old sprinted clear of West Ham’s high defence to race through on goal.As Lukasz Fabianski advanced Vardy kept his cool to clip a right footer around the Polish goalie to find the far corner of the net.The celebrations were initially cut short by a flag raised by far-side assistant ref Marc Perry, who reckoned Vardy was offside.However the official made the same mistake as the Hammers ridiculously high back-line – they simply didn’t give enough respect to Vardy’s pace.After a lengthy VAR check it became clear that Konstantinos Mavrapanos’s trailing leg had played Vardy onside and the goal was given to a huge roar from home fans as Van Nistelrooy applauded.Whatever Leicester boss is in charge it doesn’t take them long to appreciate Vardy’s worth.Jamie Vardy opened the scoring for LeicesterCredit: GettyVardy celebrates his openerCredit: PAIncredibly the 37-year-old has now scored the first goal for SIX different Leicester managers among his 195 club goals.The old Fox almost added a second six minutes later when he raced onto a Victor Kristiansen pass but this time Fabianski managed to stay big and deflect his shot into the side netting.Things looked bleak for under pressure Hammers boss Lopetegui but in fairness his players rallied for him.They absolutely dominated the rest of the half as they peppered Mads Hermansen’s goals with 20 shots to Leicester’s three by half-time.But the thin blue line held firm.Jarrod Bowen curled a shot around Kristiansen but Hermansen reacted brilliantly to beat it away.Then Danny Ings header deflected off James Justin but bounced off the post before Vestergaard hurled himself in front of Kilman to block his rebound.West Ham fans then celebrated an equaliser – only to be mocked by Leicester fans who could see Soucek’s header had rippled the side net.Bilal El Khannouss doubled Leicester’s leadCredit: GettyEl Khannouss celebrates his goalCredit: GettyBowen’s centre then found no takers before the England winger brought out more heroics from Hermansen who thwarted him again.Somehow Leicester made it to the break with their lead intact.They continued to ride their luck after the restart as Hermansen produced more heroics to claw a deflected Kudus shot over.West Ham thought they had levelled after 58 minutes when sub Crysencio Summerville’s skied effort was missed by Hermansen and dropped behind him into the Leicester net.But referee Josh Smith reckoned Tomas Soucek had impeded the goalie and VAR agreed – although it was hard not to sympathise with Hammers fans who reckoned they had been robbed.Their miserable night was completed when the Foxes wrapped up the points with a sucker punch break.Kasey McAteer picked out El Khannouss in the box and the Moroccan international steered a right footer beyond Fabianski.Lopetegui’s night was summed up when Summerville touched a Bowen cutback beyond Harmansen, only to be denied by Conor Coady who toes the ball off the line.As West Ham crumbled Patson Daka sprinted clear of the Hammers’ snail-paced defence to lash home a third.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt sealed a perfect start for Van Nistelrooy but could well mark the end for Lopetegui.Not even a stoppage time header from Niclas Fullkrug is likely to save the Spaniard now.Patson Daka got a third for the FoxesCredit: RexDaka wrapped up all three pointsCredit: RexNiclas Fullkrug pulled one back for West HamCredit: Reuters More