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Graham Potter said Lucas Paqueta was reduced to tears on the pitch on Sunday by “the situation” West Ham find themselves in.
The midfielder was shown a yellow card for a foul on Mikey Moore during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Tottenham, prompting the player to burst into tears. He was quickly consoled by his team-mates and soon after substituted by his manager.
Paqueta continues to play each week for West Ham, but his long-term future is shrouded in uncertainty as he remains under investigation over alleged breaches of the Football Association’s betting rules, with the outcome of his hearing not expected until June at the earliest.
Paqueta is alleged to have deliberately got himself booked during four Premier League matches between 2022 and 2023 to earn money for family and friends in Brazil. He has strongly denied wrongdoing.
When asked about Paqueta’s emotional outburst, Potter said: “I think he's just a player that's trying his absolute best and wants the situation to be better and probably got a bit frustrated with the action.
“And then you see a human being, not perfect, but I love Lucas. He's given everything and in difficult circumstances, he's in as well. He's given everything and he's absolutely fine now.”
Potter was then asked whether he had spoken to Paqueta about his emotional response on the pitch, but replied: “No, I haven't had a chance to.”
