Premier League: West Ham's Dan Potts hopes to play a part against Tottenham

Young West Ham left-back Dan Potts hopes an impressive pre-season campaign will earn him a regular place in Sam Allardyce's first-team squad.

The 20-year-old performed well for the Hammers in New Zealand and Germany, and then came on to replace the injured Aaron Cresswell after half an hour of Saturday’s entertaining 3-2 win over Sampdoria.

"I loved it," Potts told the West Ham website.

"Obviously, it's the only home game we've got in pre-season, and I started on the bench, but Cressy picked up a knock and I got my chance, and I really enjoyed it.

"I was on and then Elliot Lee and Reece (Burke, who scored the winner) came on late and did not do themselves any harm either by combining for the winner, so it was good for the Academy.

"More importantly, it was good to round off the pre-season with a win.

"There have been little things about us having a 'winless pre-season up until now' and things like that, but pre-season isn't really about results.

"It's more about getting the fitness work in. We all love to win though, and it was good to come off on the winning team."

Having signed a new contract in the summer, Potts is targeting a regular place in the first-team squad.

"It's coming up to three years now since my debut," he said. "I'm lucky to have got a few sniffs in the first team in this pre-season and hopefully I've done myself no harm.

"Now, pre-season is over, and I want to push on even further.

"The Premier League is where I want to play and, leading up to Tottenham (who West Ham host in their opener), hopefully I can be in and around it next week, and push on from there.

"I obviously wish Cressy well and hope it's not a bad injury, but I'd love to be in the squad next Saturday and, even better, on the pitch. I'll take each day as it comes."