West Ham frustrated Newcastle United to a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park in match-week 22 of this year’s Premier League campaign. Goals from Callum Wilson and Lucas Paqueta in the first half meant that both sides got a share of the points.
Eddie Howe was forced to make at least one change to the line up from the side which won against Southampton during the week. Bruno Guimaraes started the first of his three game ban, Allan Saint-Maximin took his place so new signing Anthony Gordon had to make do with a place on the bench. Alexander Isak didn’t feature in the matchday squad due to still showing signs of concussion from their midweek clash against the Saints. David Moyes also one change to his side that beaten Everton 2-0 on the 21st January, Kurt Zouma being replaced by Thilo Kehrer.
Willock thought he got his side off to the dream start and into the lead in less than a minute when he slotted it past Fabianski but VAR intervened and for once they were correct in disallowing it due to the ball marginally going out of play in the build-up. Newcastle scored immediately following the restart and there was no chance anyone was going to change that. West Ham’s freekick from Fabianski was intercepted by the home side which allowed Longstaff to play the perfect ball through for Wilson who slotted it past the Hammers keeper with his left foot. Schar nearly doubled his side’s lead with 25 minutes on the clock. Trippier floated a free kick in from the deep which Burn flicked on to Schar who lofted it over Fabianski but wide of the goal. Benrahma blazed over for the visiting side as the clock approached 30minutes but it never had Pope worried in goal. West Ham equalised in the 31st minute and it was a player that was once linked with the Magpies…Paqueta who blasted home from a corner that beaten everyone else in the box. West Ham had a golden opportunity to head into half time with the lead just as the fourth official announced the two minutes of stoppage time. Coufal curled a ball into the box which Aguerd connected with but his header sailed over the bar. Half Time 1-1.
Its safe to say that the second half didn’t start with the same intensity as the first. Fabianski saved Saint-Maximin’s effort from close range with his legs after Aguerd’s headed effort down the other end of the pitch drifted narrowly wide. With neither side looking like they were going to nick a goal, Eddie Howe turned to new signing Gordon in the 68th minute who replaced the lacklustre Saint-Maximin. Gordon nearly got his first assist on his debut when he played a lovely through ball to Wilson as we approached the last 15 minutes of the game but Aguerd covered brilliantly to deny Wilson from getting his second goal of the game. Wilson had a perfect opportunity to put his side ahead with less than ten minutes to play when Trippier whipped a lovely free kick into the box from out wide which found the England International but his header was straight at the keeper. Gordon unleashed a shot at goal from outside the box but Bowen got in front of it and diverted it away to safety, it might not have been going in but the strike was definitely goal bound.
Sutty’s Full Time Thoughts: A draw is a fair result in my opinion. Despite the Magpies getting off to a flying start, they couldn’t make their chances count and see the game off. They looked tired and I think they were still suffering from their Semi Final Second Leg victory over Southampton during the week. Nick Pope has finally been beaten in the Premier League after a very fine 9 ½ hours and he couldn’t have done much with West Ham’s equaliser. A rare lack of concentration from the back line proved costly as Paqueta levelled things up for the hosts. I’m glad Callum Wilson finally ended his goal drought as his first half strike was his 27th goal for NUFC in all competitions which makes him the 3rd highest goal scorer in last 10 years behind Dwight Gayle and Ayoze Perez who have 34 & 48 respectively. He did however have a number of decent opportunities to win it for his side but the main thing is that he doesn’t have the gloom of yet another match without scoring over his head. Allan Saint-Maximin for me shouldn’t have been on the pitch from the first whistle. Right from the get go he didn’t look interested. When Anthony Gordon replaced him in the second half, there was an instant change of oomph and it was exactly the sort of new found energy that the home side needed. With Bruno Guimaraes suspended for another two more games, I really bloody hope Eddie Howe starts AG for those games as Maxi’s performances simply haven’t been good enough to keep him in the side. A draw isn’t the worst outcome by all means, we are now 16 games unbeaten but its our tenth draw in the Premier League this term. West Ham will definitely be the happier side between the two. Declan Rice was something else for the visitors, he bossed the midfield and its no wonder the top sides are after him. Two points dropped by us but at least we didn’t lose. Onto next weekend where we face Eddie Howe’s formed side….Bournemouth. See you next week!
What’s Next? Newcastle United travel to Eddie Howe’s former side Bournemouth on Saturday 11th February for another 5:30pm KO live on Sky Sports Premier League. West Ham host fellow London side Chelsea on the same day in a 12:30pm KO live on BT Sports 1.
Newcastle United Line Up: N Pope, K Trippier ©, F Schar, S Botman, D Burn, S Longstaff, Joelinton, J Willock (80, E Anderson), M Almiron (80, J Murphy), C Wilson, A Saint-Maximin (68, A Gordon).
Newcastle United Bench: M Dubravka, P Dummett, J Lascelles, J Lewis, M Ritchie, E Anderson, J Murphy, R Fraser, A Gordon.
West Ham United Line Up: L Fabianski, A Ogbonna, T Kehrer (45, B Johnson), N Aguerd, V Coufal (90, F Downes), L Paqueta (73, T Soucek), Emerson, D Rice ©, M Antonio (79, D Ings), J Bowen, S Benrahma (73, P Fornals).
West Ham United Bench: K Hegyi, J Anang, B Johnson, A Cresswell, P Fornals, M Lanzini, F Downes, T Soucek, D Ings.
Match Officials: Peter Bankes (Referee), Eddie Smart & Nick Greenhalgh (Assistant’s), Simon Hooper (Fourth Official), Neil Swarbrick (VAR), Richard West (Assistant VAR).
@jsuttonwrites
04.02.2023