It's onwards and upwards for Newcastle as they recorded their fourth successive victory in a row as they hammered West Ham United 5-1 at the London Stadium to move another step closer to Champions League football for next season.
David Moyes made just one change to his side that beaten Southampton at the weekend, Michael Antonio returning to the starting eleven in place of Danny Ings. Eddie Howe making a couple of changes himself from the team that toppled Man Utd. Joelinton returned to the line up in place of Joe Willock who was only fit enough to start on the bench, the other change being Callum Wilson in place of Alexander Isak.
The Hammers got the game underway and almost took the lead within the first minute, Bowen burst down the wing under chase from Burn before whipping in a cross that was almost deflected into the net by Guimaraes, thankfully for the Magpies the post saved the day on that occasion. Despite the hosts having the brighter start between the sides in the opening five minutes, it was the visitors who took the lead after six minutes of play. A superb cross from Saint-Maximin found the head of Wilson who was unmarked in the box and the Number Nine made no mistake in guiding his header past the stranded Fabianksi and into the net. Newcastle doubled their lead just a few minutes later, Schar played a lovely ball over the top for Joelinton who calmly rounded the keeper and slotted it home. The officials did rule it out for offside originally but after a lengthy VAR check, it was overruled and the goal stood. That’s why you should always play to the whistle. Paqueta tested Pope from a freekick in a dangerous area just before the half hour mark but the Newcastle stopper saved well down low to his right. West Ham wanted a penalty in the 30th minute when Bowen went down in the box after a challenge but the referee’s were having none of it. Newcastle then went up the other end and Wilson almost grabbed his second of the game when he was one on one with Fabianski but this time the keeper came out on top. The hosts pulled a goal back shortly before the interval through Zouma. A corner was whipped in, Pope misjudged the flight of it and Zouma headed home. Half Time West Ham United 1 Newcastle United 2.
Newcastle started the second half perfectly thanks to a howler from the West Ham United backline. Fabianski rolled the ball out to Aguerd, Murphy was alert enough to disposes him and square it across the box to Wilson who tapped it home for his second of the game. Murphy should have made it 4-1 to the visitors ten minutes later but was denied by Fabianski after some nice build up play by the visiting side. Saint-Maximin forced Fabianski into a diving fingertip save from a curling effort just outside the penalty area just before the hour mark as the Magpies pressed for another goal. Guimaraes came agonisingly close to getting in on the act as the game entered the final 15minutes with a strike from outside the area but it flew just wide of the post. Isak made it four inside the final ten minutes of the game. A long ball over the top was failed to be cleared by Fabianski and the Swede finished smartly. It was almost as if the keeper had left with the rest of the fans with more than ten minutes to play! Joelinton rounded the scoring off for the visitors as the match entered its 90th minute. Fellow Brazilian Guimaraes switched it to Joelinton who took it in his stride and despatched it beyond the helpless Fabianski. Full Time West Ham United 1 Newcastle United 5.
Sutty’s Full Time Thoughts: Eddie Howe is a tactical genius…fact! Callum Wilson and Joelinton, the two players he brought into the side for tonight’s encounter, both scoring inside the first 15minutes of the game and finishing with a brace each. It’s impossible to single out just one person for their performance this evening, everyone contributed to the win. It wasn’t the perfect performance by any means but the lads fully deserved the win. There were times when possession play would be sloppy especially in the first half after going 2-0 up but they regrouped after half time and ran away with the game in the second half. There is a real feel good factor around the club at the moment and you can tell that the whole team is UNITED! Roll on Brentford on Saturday. Howay The Lads.
What’s Next? Both sides next play on Saturday 8th April at 3pm. West Ham visit Fulham and the Magpies are away to Brentford.
West Ham United Line Up: L Fabianski, K Zouma, T Kehrer (63, F Downes), N Aguerd, Emerson, L Paqueta, T Soucek (62, V Coufal), D Rice ©, M Antonio (62, D Ings), J Bowen, S Benrahma (62, M Cornet).
West Ham United Bench: A Areola, A Cresswell, V Coufal, A Ogbonna, P Fornals, M Lanzini, F Downes, M Cornet, D Ings.
Newcastle United Line Up: N Pope, K Trippier © (86, J Manquillo), F Schar, S Botman, D Burn (84, M Targett), B Guimaraes, S Longstaff, Joelinton, J Murphy (63, J Willock), C Wilson (63, A Isak), A Saint-Maximin (63, A Gordon).
Newcastle United Bench: M Dubravka, J Lascelles, J Manquillo, M Targett, M Ritchie, J Willock, E Anderson, A Gordon, A Isak.
Match Officials: Craig Pawson (Referee), Marc Perry & Scott Ledger (Assistant’s), Chris Kavanagh (Fourth Official), David Coote (VAR), Derek Eaton (Assistant VAR).
@jsuttonwrites
05.04.2023
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