Former West Ham co-chairman David Sullivan attended the club’s Carabao Cup match against Portsmouth despite London Stadium recommending that he avoid home games, citing concerns about possible supporter unrest. It was West Ham’s first match since allegations against Sullivan were reported, though no problems were apparent in or around the stadium before and shortly after kick-off.

Sullivan resigned as co-chair in June after seven women accused him of sexually exploitative and predatory behaviour, which he categorically denies, but remains the club’s largest individual shareholder with a 38.8% stake. A joint BBC Panorama and Times investigation found he had been barred from contact with West Ham’s women’s and youth teams for three years because of safeguarding concerns; the match also marked West Ham’s first EFL Cup opening-round appearance in 15 years after relegation.