Never underestimate the Premier League’s ability to throw in a jaw dropping plot twist as West Ham pulled off a stunning victory over Newcastle United to breathe life into the Julen Lopetegui era.
Without an away win since opening weekend, the Spaniard’s side produced their best display under him to bring Newcastle’s late autumn momentum to a shuddering halt.
It was a lovely reminder – as long as you are not a Newcastle supporter – of what makes our top league so thrilling, especially this season.
There are so many unpredictable results, nothing is what it seems. A club supposedly teetering on the brink of a crisis, like West Ham, can turn up at in-form Newcastle and play them perfectly.
The home side operated well in patches and missed chances, but you cannot say that West Ham did not deserve their win.
It was a classy away performance, full of clever counter attacking football with England international Jarrod Bowen, Crysencio Summerville and Lucas Paqueta superb.
West Ham fans have complained their team did not have an identity under Lopetegui, but they may well have discovered one. There is every reason to be optimistic at last.
“I’m very happy tonight, we were able to compete as a team, the way we played in the second half, we have to deliver these type of matches,” he said.
“My life is pressure as a coach, I don’t think about it [two games to save my job], I just try to improve the team. We have to keep the good things from this match, it is one big challenge done. It is good for the players to get this feeling.”
This was a vibrant and slick West Ham as the confidence returned to the players. They toyed with Newcastle in the closing stages, making them chase the ball, drawing “oles” from their fans high up in the Leazes Stand.
As for Newcastle, a win would have put them just two points behind Manchester City in second. It was a huge missed opportunity and an infuriating evening.
When Howe cleared his bench trying to chase the game, they looked disorganised and craftless. It turned into one of their worst performances of the season.
None of their big-name players, Anthony Gordon, Bruno Guimaraes or Alexander Isak played well and Howe’s substitutions made them worse.
“It will be up there with my most frustrating game as Newcastle manager,” said Howe. “For 60 minutes we were okay, played well in patches, but the last half an hour we looked very disjointed. I did not like us at all in that last period.
“We are not scoring enough goals for the chances we are creating and we have to solve that.”
The evening did not start this way. With the feelgood factor back on Tyneside after three successive victories over Chelsea, Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, there was a spring in the step.
It lasted ten minutes. A bright, encouraging start was wrecked at the first set piece Newcastle had to defend. It is about as simple a goal as you are likely to see at this level, as Tomas Soucek was left completely unmarked, in the middle of the goal, to plant a free header beyond Nick Pope. Lloyd Kelly, starting in place of the suspended Dan Burn, was the man who failed to do his job properly.
“The first goal was a hugely disappointing goal that changed the feeling of us and did the opposite to them,” added Howe.
It was almost a carbon copy of the goal Newcastle conceded against Forest in their last game before the international break. Whoever designed their new zonal marking system at corners needs to go back to the drawing board.
West Ham players looked reborn. Or at least revitalised. They passed and moved crisply. Lopetegui bounced around excitedly on the touchline. He was enjoying watching his team play but Newcastle regained their composure.
Joe Willock blasted wide when he should have hit the target before Anthony Gordon was somehow denied by the trailing leg of Lukasz Fabianski following a mistake by Jean-Clair Todibo.
Newcastle were gathering momentum and Isak, having had one goal ruled out for offside, should have equalised five minutes before the interval, taking down a pass from Bruno, but sweeping a shot wide. The Sweden international had been greeted on to the pitch with a flag display in his honour but this was Alexander the wasteful not Great.
Newcastle lost a game like this against Brighton back in October, also immediately after an international break, and there were worrying similarities.
Newcastle tried to keep the pressure on, sending on Harvey Barnes for the disappointing Willock, but exactly the same thing happened at the start of the second as the first.
Moments after Gordon had seen a shot roll narrowly wide, with Fabianski beaten, West Ham scored with their first attack of the half. Lucas Paqueta stole possession from his compatriot and close friend Bruno and fed Bowen, who threaded a pass between Sean Longstaff and Lewis Hall to Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who squeezed a shot beyond Pope and in off the far post.
St James’ Park was stunned. West Ham threw away a two-goal lead on their last visit to the North East but were never in danger of doing it again.
10:28 PM GMT
The 3,200 away fans rewarded for their long journey
10:28 PM GMT
The thoughts of Julen Lopetegui
“We are happy because we got the three points. We played well, with our own identity and overcome a very good team. We started well and scored from a set-piece. They then had a couple of chances but we then played well in the second half and we deserved the win in my opinion. We are happy for the fans who travelled far today. We look forward to the next challenge and we have a lot of work to do. I believe that we will do good things in the future. The players believe in the things they do and constantly improve.
“I do not talk about Europe, we just talk about tomorrow and the next game. It does not help thinking about the long-term future. West Ham should be a good team. Our big challenge is to be able to be a good and strong team. If you want to compete in the Premier League you have to run and to play.”
10:14 PM GMT
A first West Ham goal for Aaron Wan-Bissaka
10:10 PM GMT
Jarrod Bowen speaking to Sky
“I said we needed a performance and we did that. Newcastle always score at home so to keep a clean sheet and score twice, it is a tough place to come to. We did that perfectly. You always play to win the games. It was down to us to get the second goal, if you settle on a lead it can come back to haunt you.
“That was the level it takes to play for this club. The desire, work rate and quality shown from everyone. It is important that we rest up. It is a massive game on Saturday [vs Arsenal]. They are a top, top side. We can take a lot from this game. The group we have had are so good. There is a real togetherness but sometimes you can fall off with new players.
“It is down to me to show what it means to play for this club. Every one understood the assignment. We have been disappointed with our standards this season but that was more like it. We should be pushing for European football every season.
On it being a big win for the manager:
“I think it is for everyone associated with the club. We have been disappointed with our start. We have to take responsibility and do our work and we have not done that to a high enough ability this year. It was a real big moment and this is a really big turning point in our season.
“He has come in with different ideas and playing from the back but also mixing it up as well. That is up to us to adapt too, and he has come in with fresh good ideas, especially for us attacking players. We are getting there.”
10:05 PM GMT
Important win for the visitors
10:04 PM GMT
Table update
Newcastle could have moved up into sixth place with a win tonight but they remain in 10th. West Ham meanwhile remain in 14th but are now six points clear of the relegation zone.
10:02 PM GMT
Jamie Carragher on Sky
“It is a brilliant result for West Ham, but for any team going away to Newcastle on a Monday night, you know how tough it is going to be.
“That would be a tough game for Man City and for Liverpool. The odds were stacked against them to win this game, but they have won it. They have now got to use this as a springboard going forward. It is more important for the manager than for West Ham.
“There is no doubt had they lost tonight and then again against Arsenal, they would have been closer to the bottom three. There is no doubt about it, the situation with the crowd and the owners, it would have got very twitchy for the manager.”
09:59 PM GMT
Up next
Newcastle will be hoping to bounce back from tonight’s defeat on Saturday as they travel to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace. For West Ham they take on London rivals Arsenal at home on Saturday night.
09:57 PM GMT
FT stats
Possession: Newcastle 52%-48% West Ham
Shots: 18-15
Shots on target: 2-6
Corners: 8-3
Touches in opposition box: 36-17
09:54 PM GMT
Full-time
There is the final whistle at St. James’ Park and West Ham have won it 2-0 thanks to goals from Soucek and Wan-Bissaka. A crucial win for the under-pressure Julen Lopetegui.
09:52 PM GMT
90+4 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
West Ham are just two minutes away from an important victory on the road. Paqueta has been named man of the match.
09:50 PM GMT
90+2 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
Trippier sends in a good cross from the right towards the far post trying to pick out Barnes but Coufal heads behind under pressure for a corner. Newcastle take it quickly and the cross looks like it is too heavy but it is hooked back in. Isak has a chance but he miscues his effort.
09:48 PM GMT
90 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
Six added minutes at the end of this match. Not really sure where that has come from. I was thinking it would be about four but not to be.
09:45 PM GMT
87 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
After Paqueta gifts the ball away cheaply deep inside his own half, Wan-Bissaka slides in to put it behind for a corner. Newcastle play it short and quickly earn another corner, which is then headed away by Paqueta.
09:42 PM GMT
84 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
Changes for both sides. Newcastle bring on Trippier for Guimaraes, who has gone straight down the tunnel with an injury. West Ham are making a double change as Soler and Summerville are off for Rodriguez and Irving.
09:41 PM GMT
83 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
Murphy falls to pick out a free Wilson at the back post but the flag is up anyway for offside. Time is running out for Newcastle to get back into the game.
09:36 PM GMT
79 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
Mavropanos diverts one behind for a corner before Isak can get his shot away. Newcastle take the corner quickly and Hall tries to curl one into the far corner but his effort is off target.
09:35 PM GMT
77 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
Bowen has space on the edge of the box as the Newcastle defenders back off but his strike hits his own teammate in the shape of Ings.
09:33 PM GMT
75 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
West Ham are now making two changes of their own as Ings and Coufal come on for Antonio and Emerson.
09:30 PM GMT
72 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
Murphy sends in another cross from the right and Wilson goes down under a challenge from Mavropanos inside the six-yard box. Newcastle are screaming for a penalty but nothing is given. VAR does check but sticks with the on-field decision. Mavropanos can probably count himself a little lucky as he had his hands draped over Wilson’s shoulders.
#NEWWHU – 72′
The referee’s call of no penalty for the challenge by Mavropanos on Wilson was checked and confirmed by VAR, deeming that the contact was not sufficient for a penalty.
— Premier League Match Centre (@PLMatchCentre) November 25, 2024
09:28 PM GMT
70 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
Murphy is only just on the pitch but he plays a teasing cross in from the right which Fabianski does well to punch away.
09:26 PM GMT
68 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
Double change for Newcastle as Wilson and Murphy replace Gordon and Joelinton. Wilson is on for his first appearance of the season after injury. Two out-and-out centre forwards on the pitch now for the home side.
09:25 PM GMT
67 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
The Newcastle fans are not happy. Plenty of groans inside St. James’ Park. West Ham have grown in confidence since their second goal.
Former West Ham players Carlton Cole, Marlon Harewood and Anton Ferdinand are up in the heavens with the travelling fans, who will be enjoying what they are seeing tonight.
09:23 PM GMT
64 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
Livramento is in space down the right and picks out Isak with a cross into the box but the Swede does not get his header right and it ends up well wide of the post.
09:20 PM GMT
62 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
Soler takes it and his effort on target but Pope punches away.
09:20 PM GMT
61 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
The ball is played in behind the Newcastle defence and Bowen takes a great first touch. Kelly takes him out just outside the Newcastle box and he is shown a yellow card. Correctly not a red as there was plenty of cover. A decent chance coming for West Ham to put this game to bed.
09:17 PM GMT
59 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
West Ham come very close to making it 3-0. Kelly slides in with a last-ditch tackle to deny Summerville a great chance inside the Newcastle box. The visitors then have a number more efforts in quick succession and they could have wrapped up the game there.
09:15 PM GMT
57 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
Newcastle are making their second change of the night as Tonali comes on for Longstaff.
09:14 PM GMT
56 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
West Ham are being forced into a change at the back as Todibo is going to have to come off in what looks like an injury replacement. Mavropanos will be his replacement.
09:13 PM GMT
55 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 2
Bowen tries to make it 3-0 to the away side but his shot from outside the box is saved by Pope down to his left.
09:11 PM GMT
GOAL! Wan-Bissaka doubles West Ham’s lead
The perfect way to silence the home crowd. Paqueta plays it out to Bowen on the right and the latter finds Wan-Bissaka who makes a great run into the box. He shoots across Pope and it goes in off the far post. That is Wan-Bissaka’s first goal for West Ham.
09:11 PM GMT
53 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Bowen wants a free-kick after what looked like a foul from Joelinton but those appeals are waved away and Newcastle counter. It ends up with Gordon having a shot inside the West Ham box but it goes wide of the far post. How Joelinton has not been booked I do not know.
09:10 PM GMT
51 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
West Ham work it brilliantly from back to front down their left through a combination of Emerson and Summerville. Paqueta ends up sending in a cross which Pope punches away. West Ham have managed to get their foot on the ball after a period of pressure.
09:07 PM GMT
49 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
The West Ham penalty area is under siege with a series of crosses and shots but West Ham are holding on for now.
09:05 PM GMT
47 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Antonio wins the first corner of this second half off Kelly. Soler takes it short and Emerson then sends it in but the delivery is poor and Newcastle can clear with ease.
09:03 PM GMT
Second half
We are back under way at St. James’ Park. Can Newcastle find a way back into the game or will West Ham close out a crucial victory for Julen Lopetegui. Newcastle have made a change at the break as Barnes has replaced Willock.
08:59 PM GMT
What will this man be feeling and saying to his players at the break?
Julen Lopetegui will be pleased to see his side 1-0 at half-time but there is plenty of effort still needed to see out the victory at St. James’ Park.
08:52 PM GMT
HT stats
Possession: Newcastle 55%-45% West Ham
Shots: 10-6
Shots on target: 2-2
Corners: 3-2
Touches in opposition box: 20-8
08:48 PM GMT
Half-time
That is it for the first half and West Ham have the lead at the break thanks to Soucek’s early goal.
08:45 PM GMT
45 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Three added minutes at the end of this first half.
08:43 PM GMT
43 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Wan-Bissaka is forced to head behind for a corner with Joelinton putting him under pressure. Gordon sends in an inswinger, which Fabianski punches away.
West Ham really need half-time here.
08:40 PM GMT
40 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Big, big chance for Isak. Guimaraes wins the ball back for Newcastle and picks out Isak in behind the West Ham defence with a glorious ball. Isak’s first touch is good but his shot from the penalty spot somehow goes wide.
08:39 PM GMT
39 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Bowen takes aim from distance but his shot sails over the bar. There are plenty of groans of frustration from the home fans at the moment.
08:37 PM GMT
37 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Todibo is so, so lucky. Longstaff sends in a cross from the right that should be an easy clearance for Todibo but he makes an absolute mess of it. It comes straight to Gordon, who should score from around 10 yards out but his shot is straight at Fabianksi. Todibo owes his keeper a beer after that bailout!
08:34 PM GMT
34 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Hall drives one across the left-hand side of the box that evades everyone and goes wide of the far post. It looked like a shot but it ended up nearly finding a teammate. He wanted a corner but goal-kick given.
08:31 PM GMT
30 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Antonio needs to change his shirt after his original one was ripped in an incident with Kelly.
08:29 PM GMT
29 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Gordon picks out Longstaff with a cross from the left to the far post but the latter’s header is straight at Fabianski. That is their first shot on target of the night.
08:27 PM GMT
27 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Joelinton cynically takes down Antonio and he is very, very lucky that he has not been booked yet.
Newcastle have conceded two almost identical goals from corners in their last two games and whoever designed their zonal marking system needs to have a rethink. It had been a confident start from the home side but conceding after just eight minutes has knocked the stuffing out of everyone. Joe Willock is having a nightmare and Alexander Isak has been little better. Joelinton looks lost on the right wing and Anthony Gordon has been very quiet on the left. The home crowd are starting to get a little irritable as a result.
08:25 PM GMT
25 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Willock is back up on his feet and looks like he will be fine to continue.
08:23 PM GMT
23 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Lovely one-touch football from West Ham gives Soler a great chance from the edge of the Newcastle box but he gets his curled effort all wrong and the chance is gone. Willock has gone down after colliding with his teammate Longstaff attempting to block that shot and the medics are coming on as he is still down.
08:22 PM GMT
21 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Summerville is penalised for a foul on the edge of the Newcastle box on Longstaff and he feels he got the ball. His manager Julen Lopetegui agrees and his protestations to the fourth official result in a yellow card, meaning he will serve a touchline ban against Arsenal.
08:18 PM GMT
18 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Isak has an effort from the edge of the penalty area deflected over by Todibo. The corner is sent to the back post and Kelly meets it, but his header misses the target. He probably should be hitting the target there.
08:16 PM GMT
16 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Emerson is forced to divert a cross from the left behind for Newcastle’s first corner of the night. Hall sends in an inswinger and it loops up into the grateful hands of Fabianski.
08:15 PM GMT
15 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
A let-off for West Ham. Joelinton sends in a cross from the right and Wan-Bissaka makes a mess of his headed clearance. It falls to the feet of Willock at the edge of the box but his curling effort goes just wide of the far post.
08:12 PM GMT
12 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 1
Newcastle have been all over the place since that goal. Bowen goes down on the edge of the box after a challenge by Guimaraes but those appeals are waved away. West Ham do win a corner and they play it short. It is then sent in but Newcastle deal with the danger.
08:10 PM GMT
GOAL! Soucek heads West Ham into the lead
The 3,200 West Ham fans high up at St. James’ Park is sent into a state of delirium! Emerson sends in an outswinger from the left and his delivery picks out a free Soucek, who makes no mistake and powers a header home. Awful defending from the home side but the travelling fans will not care one bit.
08:09 PM GMT
9 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 0
After a good run forward from Bowen, he finds Antonio outside him. His cross is headed behind by Livramento for a corner…
08:08 PM GMT
8 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 0
Gordon cuts in from the left and goes for goal from the edge of the box but Soucek makes the block.
With their home faithful behind them, Newcastle have certainly started off a lot better than West Ham, who have struggled to settle so far. West Ham are set up to play on the counter-attack but have not had much of the ball so far.
08:05 PM GMT
5 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 0
Isak has the ball in the back of the net but the offside flag is up. This is pretty close. Hall plays the ball into the left-hand channel and Isak goes through one-on-one with Fabianksi. He deftly chips the ball over the West Ham keeper and rolls in but it will not count. The replays show he was just leaning into an offside decision. From some angles it looked very close but from others it was a fairly clear-cut decision.
08:03 PM GMT
2 mins: Newcastle 0 West Ham 0
First chance of the night falls to Isak, who has a great scoring record against West Ham. The ball is fed into the right-hand channel by Livarmento. The Swedish striker gets onto the end of it and, from just inside the box, takes an effort on but his shot misses the target comfortably. It was perhaps overly selfish from Isak, who could have found a teammate instead.
08:00 PM GMT
Kick-off
We are under way up in Newcastle. Will the pressure ease or ramp up on Julen Lopetegui?
07:56 PM GMT
Kick-off fast approaching
Both sides emerge from the tunnel and we are just moments away from kick-off under the lights at St. James’ Park.
Feels like there is a lot of pressure building on West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui, who has three wins, three draws and five defeats in the league since his appointment in the summer.
And this is not a place you want to come to looking for a much-needed win. Chelsea and Arsenal both lost at St James’ Park before the international break, although Newcastle have tended to find things a little bit more difficult against lesser sides who sit back and look to contain them at home.
Brighton won here last month and this is a different sort of test for Eddie Howe’s side. A win for the Magpies would make it four on the spin and would lift them up to sixth in the table, just two points behind Manchester City in second. The home fans have displayed two huge tributes behind each goal for star striker Alexander Isak. His return to form has coincided with Newcastle’s revival.
07:52 PM GMT
Reminder of the team news
Newcastle: Pope, Hall, Schar, Kelly, Livramento, Willock, Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Gordon, Isak.
Substitutes: Dubravka, Trippier, Tonali, Wilson, Barnes, Targett, Osula, Murphy, Almiron.
West Ham: Fabiański, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson, Soler, Soucek, Paqueta, Summerville, Bowen, Antonio.
Substitutes: Areola, Coufal, Cresswell, Mavropanos, Scarles, Rodríguez, Irving, Luis Guilherme, Ings.
07:51 PM GMT
Kelly in for suspended Burn Newcastle’s only change tonight
07:47 PM GMT
Julen Lopetegui talking to Sky
“In any line-up, you choose the players that you think can face the opponent you face.
“We have to improve a lot of things but we will do it as a team. Newcastle are a very good team with good players.
“Very technically and physically strong. If we want to overcome them, we will have to focus on ourselves.”
07:41 PM GMT
Away side out to warm up
A cold one up in Newcastle this evening!
07:37 PM GMT
Hosts gearing up
07:31 PM GMT
Your predictions
How do you think tonight’s game will go? Remember you can have your say in the comments section at the bottom of the blog.
07:25 PM GMT
Visitors in the house
07:20 PM GMT
‘St James’ Park is Newcastle’s soul – leaving would be a terrible mistake’
It is a highly evocative subject that is bound to split opinion, possibly to the point of acrimony among supporters, but no matter how strong the financial argument might be for relocation to a new stadium, Newcastle United need to remain at St James’ Park.
There are some things that still matter in football far more than money. That might be dismissed as a simplistic, overly romanticised argument, but for some of us, it is true. The thought of Newcastle leaving St James’ Park is unpalatable.
In the rush for greater revenue streams to help the club comply with profit and sustainability rules (PSR), this is being forgotten. The emotional attachment to St James’ Park must not be ignored. It sits on a hill, overlooking the city, like a shining beacon, a point of focus that symbolises everything that makes Newcastle such a football-obsessed city. It is football heritage and needs to be preserved.
For more from our northern football writer Luke Edwards, click here.
07:15 PM GMT
Eddie Howe speaking to Sky
On Harvey Barnes being on the bench:
“It is a difficult but a good situation to have, Anthony can play as a forward or on the right.
“There is enough there for Harvey to know he is in contention.”
On Joelinton’s versatitlity:
“He is massive for us. We will see where we will use him tonight. He knows where he starts might not be where he finishes!
“Valuable players and has popped up with some great goals. He has the ability to play that role [wing-back].”
On the return of Kieran Trippier and their defence:
“Kieran coming back from injury is huge. Targett too, who is a great player.
“We miss Burn’s experience tonight. New look back-line but hopefully one that can perform really well.”
07:09 PM GMT
Wilson returns on the bench after injury
07:04 PM GMT
Full team news
Newcastle make one change from their 3-1 victory at Nottingham Forest before the international break. Lloyd Kelly comes in for the suspended Dan Burn. Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson return from injury to be named among the substitutes.
Newcastle: Pope, Hall, Schar, Kelly, Livramento, Willock, Longstaff, Guimaraes, Joelinton, Gordon, Isak.
Substitutes: Dubravka, Trippier, Tonali, Wilson, Barnes, Targett, Osula, Murphy, Almiron.
West Ham also make one change from their 0-0 draw last time out against Everton. Carlos Soler starts in place of Guido Rodriguez, who is on the bench. Mohammed Kudus is still serving his suspension.
West Ham: Fabiański, Wan-Bissaka, Todibo, Kilman, Emerson, Soler, Soucek, Paqueta, Summerville, Bowen, Antonio.
Substitutes: Areola, Coufal, Cresswell, Mavropanos, Scarles, Rodríguez, Irving, Luis Guilherme, Ings.
07:02 PM GMT
Hosts arrive
06:56 PM GMT
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06:52 PM GMT
Jarrod Bowen speaking to Sky ahead of the match
“It is a massive night. We have need reached the standards of previous campaigns. It has been disappointing for us but we are confident and there are lots of opportunities to put things right.
“We are in a results business and results matter. It is up to us. The manager has good ideas with the ball, under the old manager we had a way of playing and were successful but we have changed that.
“You have to adapt and find the right balance. It is down to us players to buy into those ideas. The crowd and players will be right up for it and we have to match that. We have to be brave and play round their press. We know what Newcastle are about.”
06:45 PM GMT
West Ham team news
06:45 PM GMT
Newcastle team news
06:43 PM GMT
Match preview
The Premier League is back from the November international break and the final game of the weekend comes from St. James’ Park as Newcastle host West Ham. Newcastle are in 8th place but are just one point off 3rd. They went into the international break with a 3-1 win at Nottingham Forest, which backed up a 1-0 home win over Arsenal and are aiming to win three consecutive league games for the first time since September 2023.
West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui is under significant pressure with his side currently sat in 14th place. They drew 0-0 at home against Everton before the international break and sit just five points above the relegation zone after winning just three of their 11 games. Despite the speculation surrounding his future, Lopetegui is not thinking about the outside noise.
“I am not listening to or reading about what is said. I am really focused. My focus is to work in the team and to be able to understand what things can help us be a better team.
“The rest, this is not under our control – what is, is being able to work better with a high demand, knowing that our players are going to get better for sure and also knowing that the [end of the] season arrives in May, not November, so let’s see what is going to happen in two or three months.
“Our life is to live under pressure. Our work is like this and that is why we choose this kind of work. The more important thing is that we are working very hard to improve. I think the players have a big commitment to do this and I am sure we are going to achieve our levels. The only thing I am focused on now is going to Newcastle and trying to get a good result in a tough game.”
West Ham will continue to be without Mohammed Kudus, who is banned, and Niclas Fullkrug, who is injured.
Newcastle will not be able to call on the services of Dan Burn due to suspension. Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman continue to be out with injuries.
The omens would appear to be on Newcastle’s side tonight; they have lost just one of their last 10 Premier League games against West Ham. Alexander Isak is aiming to score in four straight games against West Ham.
Team news to follow shortly.
