West Ham 2-3 Newcastle

Newcastle produced a brilliant first hour as they punished a weak West Ham side to win 3-2 at the London Stadium. The Hammers went into the game on a run of five without a victory. Still, despite a lacklustre showing last time out against Sheffield United, Manuel Pellegrini stuck with the same starting XI, meaning Manuel Lanzini was again on the bench.
Steve Bruce’s side had won just one of their last eight in all competitions and the boss made two changes from the 1-1 draw against Wolves. Matty Longstaff dropped to the bench and with older brother Sean suspended, Isaac Hayden and Jonjo Shelvey filled the midfield.
Former Hammer Andy Carroll also returned to the bench and would have relished the type of chance Ciaran Clark received to open the scoring after 16 minutes.
Shelvey clipped a free-kick into Joelinton at the back post, the Brazilian nodded across goal and Clark was unmarked to open the scoring.
It was 2-0 on 22 minutes and another set-piece caught West Ham out. A corner was played back to Jetro Willems who floated a lovely ball into the area and Federico Fernandez headed into the unguarded net after goalkeeper Roberto Jimenez found himself in no man’s land.
Shelvey then hit the bar and Allan Saint-Maximin also spurned a couple of chances and while Fabian Balbuena forced a good save from Martin Dubravka on the stroke of half time, the scoreline flattered the haphazard Hammers.
Pellegrini made two changes at the break, with Lanzini and Albian Ajeti introduced, but the change of personnel and shape did little to change the game and DeAndre Yedlin had a goal ruled out for offside.
It was 3-0 soon after though and there were no doubts about it this time around, Shelvey whipping a low free-kick in past Roberto from all of 30 yards.
The chances kept coming for the visitors, Saint-Maximim a consistent threat, but they were dropping deeper as the game went on and Balbuena got one back for West Ham after 73 minutes, bundling home a Felipe Anderson corner.
West Ham tried their best to get back into it and Snodgrass scored for the second week running, volleying home from the edge of the area.
That came just as the fourth official’s board went up showing five minutes had been added on but the home side couldn’t produce any more chances.
This result marks six on the bounce when they have failed to win but the feeling will be that this is a big three points for Newcastle.