West Ham United

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final between West Ham and Leeds.

Here are some of your comments:

West Ham fans

Sue: Was quite impressed with the second half but thought we were unlucky to have two goals disallowed. Thought Taty should have scored, he missed an open goal. At least we can concentrate on Premier League survival. It was an entertaining game.

Andy: Brilliant comeback by West Ham, they dominated extra time and in the end were very unlucky to lose. Young Herrick was close to a couple of the penalties, a debut to remember!

John: It was bittersweet, but I am secretly relieved as I think we need all our focus to be on our last Premier League games. It was great to see us fight back late in the game and create chances in extra time because that gives me hope for us in the rest of the season.

Matthew: I was glad the fans who left weren't allowed back in. There's a culture of leaving early at West Ham and hopefully this will teach most of them that do it regularly a hard lesson that we need support until the end. It must be demoralising for players to see stands emptying and those who do it probably make up a large portion of the negative energy that's been damaging this club for years now.

Leeds fans

Stephen: Delighted to be in an FA Cup semi-final for the first time since Wee Billy was manager and Neil Aspin was postponing his wedding to play against Coventry. I have carried those memories for nearly 40 years so am over the moon that we have reached that stage of competition that captured me in 1972.

Andrew: Leeds turn a winning stroll in 90 minutes in to extra time and penalties. We must improve game management to see out wins as this will be crucial to staying up. West Ham are where they are for a reason and we should have won by three or four. This cup run is fantastic though and long overdue - and Leeds have already beaten Chelsea this season.

Eric: At 2-0 on 90 minutes it should have been all about game management, even with a very strange 11 minutes of added time, but even so, once again we very nearly grabbed defeat from the jaws of victory. Not for the first time this season. Perri really pulled it out of the bag for this one. He was my man of the match for his whole performance and not just for the penalty saves, but the team still has a lot of work to do to reach the finish line.

Michael Emons
BBC Sport journalist

With West Ham sitting 18th in the Premier League, in the relegation zone and in danger of dropping to the Championship, this was a glorious chance for the players to give the supporters a day out at Wembley.

Before the game, captain Jarrod Bowen said the club could turn "an underwhelming season into a really special one" and said the match was a "big opportunity".

So often the Hammers' star performer this season, Bowen added: "A Wembley trip for everyone associated with this club would be incredible. This is the FA Cup, the competition we all grew up watching and dreaming of winning."

But, on a desperately disappointing afternoon for home fans, the Hammers could not take their chance.

A poor first half featured them giving the ball away sloppily on several occasions, with discontent rising in the stands.

Bowen had a shot saved following a bright run by Adama Traore, but it was no surprise when Leeds went ahead. The tie then looked over when Dominic Calvert-Lewin added a second, with a penalty that was given following a check by the video assistant referee.

But, in a barely believable stoppage-time period, West Ham scored twice to earn a second bite at the cherry. Mateus Fernandes followed up after Bowen hit the post and then Axel Disasi steered in Traore's cross.

In a breathtaking game that had nearly everything, West Ham then had two goals ruled out in extra time - Taty Castellanos and Pablo each offside when they found the net, the latter after Bowen rattled the woodwork with a fierce shot.

Then came the frustration of the penalties, and West Ham must quickly pick themselves up before Friday's home league game against bottom-placed Wolves, a fixture which Nuno Espirito Santo's side will see victory as essential if they are to stay in the top flight.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo speaking to BBC Match of the Day: "It is sad the way it ended because in the second half and in extra-time we created chances that could have stopped it going to penalties. It's sad, it's tough. We saw from the fans what it meant to us to try and reach Wembley but it wasn't to be so we have to rest in the best way we can and react for the next one."

On pride in the performance: "That and the way we prove to ourselves that we can never give up. The game is not done until the referee says so and we have to take that into our future starting on Friday."

On Adama Traore: "He did some good actions, he worked well and he is getting up to speed. He didn't have too many minutes but today Adama did well and we need all of them to do well."

On Finlay Herrick: "He is a young goalkeeper with talent, he played for England in the youth. We have a project to try and help him to become what we expect from a good goalkeeper that can help us."

On how this will affect them going into the Wolves game on Friday: "It will take more time to recover. The legs go when you win and recover quicker. We have the sadness and that will drag into this evening and tomorrow but we have to react. We have important games so we will keep fighting."

West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen speaking to TNT Sports: "Gutted. It hurts a lot after being 2-0 down. I missed and I can only apologise to everyone involved for that. You never want to miss penalties but I have today and I have to face that. It doesn't define who I am but I have to stand tall from that. We did a lot of good things in the game but it wasn't to be.

On the performance: "In the first half, we had a few good opportunities, the keeper made a great save from Taty [Castellanos] and from me. Our shape probably wasn't good enough and we tweaked a few things. At 2-0 down you have to go for it. We thought we would go on and win the game but it wasn't meant to be."

"It has to hurt. We are hurt as a team. We have to dust ourselves down and get back into training tomorrow for the Wolves game on Friday because we know what we have to do."

Did you know?

• West Ham have given away nine penalties in all competitions this season – more than any other Premier League side.

• Axel Disasi scored his first goal since December 2024 for Chelsea against Southampton, 487 days ago. He hadn't scored in 25 appearances across spells at Chelsea, Aston Villa, and West Ham between the two.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on West Ham's performance

What did you make of Leeds United's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

West Ham make five changes from the side that began the 2-0 loss at Aston Villa on 22 March with starts for Alphonse Areola, Max Kilman, Kyle Walker-Peters, Soungoutou Magassa and Adama Traore.

Jarrod Bowen, who played for England twice in the international break, is named in the 11.

West Ham XI: Areola, Malick Diouf, Disasi, Kilman, Walker-Peters, Fernandes, Potts, Magassa, Traore, Castellanos, Bowen.

The big news for Leeds is top scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin is only among the substitutes. It is three changes from the side that began the home goalless draw with Brentford.

Lucas Perri is in goal, with Ao Tanaka and Noah Okafor also starting.

Leeds XI: Perri, Struijk, Bijol, Rodon, Justin, Stach, Ampadu, Bogle, Tanaka, Nmecha, Okafor.

The most intriguing thing about this tie is how both teams are going to approach it.

They are both in the thick of the relegation battle at the bottom of the table and will surely have at least one eye on that, rather than being fully focused on the FA Cup.

Leeds don't play in the league until the following Monday, when they go to Old Trafford, but West Ham are back in action on Friday, at home to bottom side Wolves.

Out of the two games, Wolves is surely the one that Hammers boss Nuno Espirito Santo will prioritise, because it has to be seen as 'must win' for them - but you could argue Leeds manager Daniel Farke will do the same before his side play Manchester United too.

The one thing both teams definitely don't want here is extra time, and what usually happens in that scenario is that the tie goes the distance.

So, that's what I am going to say we will see here, too. You won't be able to split the teams over 90 minutes, but then Leeds will be the ones who find a winner.

Sutton's prediction: 1-2 (after extra time)

Read the full predictions and have your say

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to the media before Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final against Leeds at The London Stadium(16:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On the fitness of his squad returning from the international break, Nuno said: "Assessing players. International break - positive that many of our players achieved big things. Some not so happy, some returned with issues. We are assessing."

• Asked specifically about the fitness of Crysencio Summerville, who has missed the Hammers' last two Premier League games with a calf problem, he added: "All of us trying to get him fit as soon as possible. Assessing him day-by-day to see how he improves. If he feels good then we take decisions."

• Nuno emphasised the work done over the international break with the players who remained with the club has been "positive".

• On balancing an FA Cup run with the Premier League relegation battle: "We play and prepare for one game at a time. We are preparing for the FA Cup as best as we can so we can go through. We cannot think about the Wolves game. First we play the game against Leeds, preparing well, competing well and then move forward."

• What would it mean to lead West Ham to their first FA Cup semi-final in 20 years?: "We have to play the game. It's always the same. We know what it means for our fans, it has been great for us to play at home. We expect support, we know it is a big night. Let's enjoy it and play."

• More on the fans: "We know they are going to be there for us. The help from the fans to the team has been great. We cannot thank them enough."

• On the defeat at Elland Road earlier this season: "It's been a while, both teams have changed a lot. We know it will be difficult but that game is too far away to analyse. We learn from experiences, there is always something to take on board to try and ratify."

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West Ham United forward Crysencio Summerville is being monitored by Everton, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Marseille and Napoli. (Teamtalk), external

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We asked for your views on which is more important to you, FA Cup glory or Premier League status?

Here are some of your comments:

Rob: I believe we can do both. But for me the FA Cup will be amazing. The Premier League will always be there, and if we do get relegated we will be back. We aren't contenders for the league title, but win the cup, get relegated and win the Championship next season. I would be OK with that.

Mike: Very simple order of preference. 1: Stay in the Premier League. 2: Send Spurs down instead. 3: Add a little icing to to the top of the cake with a cheeky lifting of the FA Cup.

Conor: It surely has to be Premier League survival. What's an FA Cup worth to us in the Championship?

Ray: Premier survival is paramount. Give fringe players the chance to improve in the cup. Play with abandon.

James: Putting finance over a cup win here but staying in the Premier League is and must be the priority and if an FA Cup win goes in tandem with that then fantastic!

Tim: Give the FA Cup as much of an effort as possible. Don't mess with Mr In-between or you end up regretting not giving it a go.

John: League survival, it's that simple. When/if we go down then it won't be a quick recovery back to the Premier League. It will be a fire sale of any player assets and Sullivan will still want £600M to sell up. Dream on.

Mike: Go out to win FA cup. Wins give you momentum which we have at the moment. Players can get injured at home, etc. Keep the same team playing, win the cup and stay up - Europe next year.

Holly Turbutt
Fan contributor

As we approach the FA Cup quarter-final, the same question keeps coming up.

Would West Ham fans choose FA Cup glory or Premier League survival? And it's a difficult one because we'd all love something to celebrate right now, but the question is - at what cost?

So this is the first time that a lot of fans, including myself, could see an FA Cup win. And as fans, this is the kind of moment that we live for.

We all remember the joy that the Conference League win brought us, even if it was followed by some disappointing seasons. But I'd argue that focusing too much on the FA Cup right now is pretty likely to get us relegated and bring a whole new level of misery.

We don't have a huge amount of squad rotation we can do without weakening our side, and if we end up getting injuries or playing tired players in the Premier League, that could be the fine margin that ends up sending us down, which scares me.

We've already seen Crysencio Summerville, who we expected to play a key role in our battle to stay up, get injured in the FA Cup so we've seen how these extra games can put us at risk of losing essential players.

So weighing up the pros and cons of each, I would be so happy to see us push for an FA Cup win, but I don't think we can run the risk of our starting XI just being knackered and dropping points in the league as a result.

I would love to see us try to balance the two, but I don't think we've got the luxury of doing anything at the expense of Premier League survival at the moment, so that means Nuno Espirito Santo has a big job on his hands to rotate our squad in a way that keeps us competitive in the FA Cup, while also giving players enough rest for our Premier League survival push.

It's all about focusing on staying up at the moment and if we can manage to progress in the FA Cup too, that would be an incredible highlight in what's been a rather stressful season.

We want your views on this subject too - which is more important to you, FA Cup glory or Premier League status?

Get in touch with your views here

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Rangers could bank a record fee for Emmanuel Fernandez this summer with the 24-year-old attracting interest from Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, West Ham United, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen. (TeamTalk), external

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West Ham and Nottingham Forest will face competition from AC Milan for the signing of Bologna's Argentine forward Santiago Castro, 21, this summer. (Tuttomercatoweb - in Italian), external

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Image source, West Ham United

Northern Ireland teenager Joel Kerr has signed his first professional contract at West Ham United.

The 17-year-old forward joined the London outfit from Glentoran's academy in 2025, making 20 appearances and netting eight goals at u18 level.

Kerr has captained Northern Ireland at under-17 level, including during their Uefa European U17 Championship qualifying campaign in Coleraine.

"It's a really proud moment for me and my family," Kerr said after the announcement.

"It's obviously something I've wanted to do and have been working towards for a while now, so it's great to see that dream become a reality and sign professional.

"My last 12 months have been really good. Hopefully that's something I can keep building on to make sure the next 12 months are even better."

Kerr will now join up with the Northern Ireland u19s in Romania for their three Uefa European U19 Championship Elite Round qualifiers.

James Jones
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Dimitri Payet has announced his retirement and there will no doubt be West Ham fans across the globe queuing up to thank him for the magic he delivered during his one and a half seasons in claret and blue.

The France international was signed by Slaven Bilic for little more than £10m in 2015 and announced himself to the Premier League by becoming one of the main men behind West Ham's hugely successful final season at Upton Park, finishing seventh and only four points off the top four.

Over the years, West Ham fans have fallen madly in love with many players who show a mixture of mercurial flair, natural talent, unshakeable work ethic, passion for the shirt and the consistent ability to change a game. Payet had that all in abundance from the start, which is why many fans now have him down as the best player they have seen play for the club.

In his short spell in east London, Payet registered 15 goals and 22 assists in 60 appearances. That is a ratio of 1.62 goal involvements per game for the Hammers, which is, quite frankly, a ridiculous record to boast.

Six of his 15 goals were direct free-kicks, his most famous arguably being the one against Crystal Palace at Upton Park, which seemed to defy physics as it appeared to be hitting row Z before looping in o the top corner. It remains the most outrageous free-kick goal I have seen live.

And who can forget the one against Manchester United at Old Trafford from more than 30 yards, beating David de Gea as the ball crashed in off the post?

It was that first season at the club which led to him being nominated for the Ballon d'Or - yes, a West Ham player was actually nominated as one of the best players in the world. That is how good he was.

His time at West Ham ended prematurely and controversially after he forced a move back to Marseille in January 2017, but he will always be remembered as one of the most gifted players to have represented the club.

Find more from James Jones at We Are West Ham, external

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Aston Villa and West Ham.

Here are some of your comments:

Aston Villa fans

Brian: An almost perfect first half and a great team performance. What a difference Super John McGinn makes, not just his ability on the ball, but as a motivational captain. So good to see Youri Tielemans back on the pitch. I have a good feeling about the rest of the season.

Mike: After all the recent poor performances, this was a much more confident team effort and a great result to set us up for the final part of the season. Great to see Tielemans back, and no surprise our midfield once again looks capable of controlling a game. Ollie Watkins thoroughly deserved man of the match. Bring it on!

Craig: Best performance of 2026. No hangover from midweek and with McGinn and Tielemans back, the task of the final games suddenly looks a lot less daunting. A bit more incisiveness in front of goal and we can fly.

Richard: Another solid performance against a West Ham team in form. Watkins was outstanding and McGinn showed why the team hasn't done so well without him. Having Tielemans back is a great boost to the team. With Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool all dropping points, it was just the tonic us Villa fans needed.

West Ham fans

Fraser: Disappointing but Villa bounced back with a strong performance after their recent struggles in the league and were a formidable opponent. I still think we will continue to improve under Nuno Espirito Santo and escape relegation - hopefully at the expense of Spurs.

Richard: How can a team that needs points so badly, with an opportunity of getting some against a team lacking form, play with so little energy or fight and find it so difficult to string a series of passes together? We were dismal.

Chris: Poor day away from home, lacking the energy and bite from previous games and sharp passing. Villa came through the midfield too easily and we were sloppy in possession. Even Jarrod Bowen had a poor game by his standards, losing the ball in the run-up to Villa's second. Need to use the break to get back on track, but belief is still there.

Sue: This match was disappointing as we didn't play well like we have in the past few matches. Aston Villa are a very good team and at home they are hard to beat, so we must be positive for the next few games.

Pundits Danny Murphy and Joe Hart join host Kelly Cates to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Tottenham 0-3 Nottingham Forest

• Aston Villa 2-0 West Ham

Jess Anderson
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

West Ham's recent upturn in form has offered a faint glimmer of hope as they continue to fight against relegation - they had earned 15 points from their previous nine Premier League games, one more than they had in their first 21 this season.

But a trip to Champions League-chasing Aston Villa was always going to be a difficult task and the Hammers looked flat as they struggled to work their way into the game.

It had been hoped winger Crysencio Summerville would be back from injury for the trip to Birmingham but the Dutchman was again absent and the Hammers have still not won any of their league games without him this season, with the number of matches now up to seven.

For all the positivity around the Hammers in recent weeks they will enter the international break in the relegation zone, having never really looked like threatening hosts Villa.

Their 29 points from 31 league matches this season means only in 2006-07 (34 games) and 2009-10 (33 games) have they gone later into a Premier League campaign without scoring more than 30 points.

Nottingham Forest's win over Tottenham on Sunday put the East Midlanders three points clear of the drop zone and Nuno Espirito Santo will now use the two-week break to work out how to get his own side out of trouble.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo, speaking to Sky Sports after the 2-0 defeat by Aston Villa: "It is always a problem to lose a player in the warm up. It changes things, we had to change shape and then in the first half we arrived late on the press and there were many things we did wrong.

"We lost the game against a good team. They were better and stronger than us. At half-time we made some changes, we slightly improved but not enough to change the game.

"It is not good going into the international break with this feeling. It is realising that we must do better. We have a lot of work to do. We didn't play good, we have to react, do things better and we are in the fight. It is a moment to reflect and realise we have to do much better. I think the fans today felt disappointed with us and that is what hurts the most."

On Crysencio Summerville: "We are assessing day by day. He is improving but it is too soon to tell the exact date he will return, but hopefully he returns and gives us a hand."

Did you know?

• West Ham United have picked up just 29 points from 31 Premier League matches this season. Only in 2006-07 (34 games) and 2009-10 (33 games) have the Hammers gone later into a Premier League campaign without reaching 30 points.

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Aston Villa's performance

What did you make of West Ham's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies