Six Games Unbeaten for The Magpies - West Ham vs Newcastle United Match Report 19.02.2022

Storm Eunice may have caused travel chaos for the nation and the Newcastle squad but that didn’t stop the 3,000 travelling Geordies from making the 570 mile round trip to the capitol.

Coming into today’s fixture, Eddie Howe’s side were looking for their fourth Premier League win in a row following success against Leeds United, Everton & Aston Villa. They will be under no illusions that this will be a tough game as David Moyes’s West Ham United are challenging for a Champions League place.

David Moyes made three changes to the side that drew at Leicester, Kurt Zouma returned to the starting XI in place of Diop, while Ryan Fredericks and Said Benrahma also replaced Coufal and Lanzini. Eddie Howe was forced to make a handful of changes to his starting eleven, Trippier and Manquillo are both out injured, while Saint-Maximin also missed out. Emil Krafth, Matt Targett and Jacob Murphy took their places.

Newcastle got the game underway and Brazilian sensation Joelinton forced Hammers keeper Lucas Fabianski into a low block with only two minutes on the clock. The visiting side controlled the early possession stakes and looked calm on the ball. West Ham went close to opening the scoring around the 20-minute mark when Jarrod Bowen’s effort from close range had to be tipped onto the crossbar by Martin Dubvravka. West Ham broke the deadlock on 32minutes when Emil Krafth clumsily barged over Michail Antonio just outside the box, Aaron Creswell curved the ball in from the resulting free kick and Craig Dawson was left unmarked to nod the ball home. Newcastle deservedly equalised just before half time when Joe Willock prodded the ball over the line from a cross by Ryan Fraser that was only part cleared by Declan Rice.

West Ham started the second half with more intent than the visiting side but they couldn’t muster up anything too serious to threaten Martin Dubravka in the Newcastle goal. Fabian Schar tried his luck at goal with a long-range effort after making a forward run but his effort was easily stopped by Fabianski. Joe Willock unleashed a curling effort towards goal with 25 minutes to go but his strike going just wide of the posts. The next opportunity came from down the opposite end of the pitch when Michail Antonio got into the box after picking the ball up in the centre of the park but he couldn’t keep his effort under control and it sailed high and wide. With just a couple of minutes left on the clock, Declan Rice fired at goal but Dan Burn was on form to make a vital bock to keep the scores level. Despite it being an end-to-end game, neither side could get that final goal and the match finished 1-1.

Sutty’s Full Time Thoughts: Many fans predicted a draw for this game and they got it spot on. Newcastle thoroughly deserved their share of the points today especially with the players that are unavailable through injury. Joe Willock deserved his goal after his performances over the past few weeks, the former arsenal youngster looking like the player he was towards the end of last season. Dan Burn had another solid game at the heart of the defence and rarely put a foot wrong. Despite going a goal down in the first half, the magpies didn’t sit back which is something that they would have done if the new management weren’t in place. Unbeaten in six, 5 points above the relegation zone, the resurrection continues. Newcastle United are back!

What’s Next? Newcastle travel to Brentford on Saturday 26th February for a 3pm KO and West Ham host Wolverhampton on Sunday 27th February in a 2pm KO.

West Ham Line Up: L Fabianksi, A Cresswell, K Zouma, C Dawson, R Fredericks (B Johnson 45), D Rice, T Soucek, P Fornals, S Benrahma (N Vlasic 72), J Bowen, M Antonio.

West Ham Bench: A Areola, I Diop, B Johnson, A Alese, N Vlasic, M Noble, A Kral, D Chesters, A Yarmolenko.

Newcastle United Line Up: M Dubravka, M Targett, D Burn, E Krafth, Joelinton, J Shelvey, J Willock (B Guimaraes 87), J Murphy, C Wood, R Fraser (M Almiron 77).

Newcastle United Bench: K Darlow, P Dummett, J Lascelles, F Fernandez, M Almiron, S Longstaff, B Guimaraes, L De Bolle, D Gayle.

Match Officials: Chris Kavanagh (Referee), Constantine Hatzidakis & James Mainwaring (Assistant’s), Graham Scott (Fourth Official), Jarred Gillet (VAR), Harry Lennard (Assistant VAR).

@jsuttonwrites

19.02.2022