New West Ham head coach Graham Potter is relying on the support of the fans to help them through his first home game in charge.
The Hammers face a tricky test against high-flying Fulham and are without several key players, including Niclas Fulkrug and Michail Antonio.
But the ex-Chelsea and Brighton boss believes with the right atmosphere, the London Stadium can be a difficult place for any team to come.
Speaking in his press conference, Potter said: “The most important thing is that the fans get behind the team and I have no doubts about them. As an away manager it has been a tough place to come so we need that connection with the supporters and fans.
“We are at the early stages of it but we hope that the results and performances are good as that brings them along with us.
“I can’t wait for the first home game tomorrow night.
Graham Potter speaks to the press ahead of tomorrow’s fixture with Fulham 🗣️
— West Ham United (@WestHam) January 13, 2025
“I think our supporters know where we are with our journey. The result is the most important thing, ultimately.
“We want to play the right way, but points are helpful. If we could have both, that’d be great.
The response and approach from the players has been really good. They’re enthusiastic to try and to connect with each other. It’s been a tough period, and we want to build together as a team.
“They are on board with it.”
Potter’s first game in charge was a 2-1 loss to Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Saturday.
The East London club went 1-0 up through Lucas Paqueta but fell short in the second half.
A win against Fulham will move them above both Manchester United and Tottenham in the Premier League table, at least temporarily.
But the Hammers will have to do it without some key faces.
When asked whether he is tempted to dip into the transfer market this month, Potter added: “There’s certainly a logical rationale to do something [in this transfer window] but it’s not always as simple as that. I wouldn’t want to do something for the sake of it in this window which is very complicated.
“There are players coming back so my focus is on how to get the team working as well as possible.
“Sometimes in these situations you have to be creative, and look at your players’ attributes.”
