West Ham United delivered a decisive 2-0 victory against Newcastle United at St James’ Park, alleviating some of the pressure on their manager, Julen Lopetegui. The match, held on Monday, saw West Ham outperform a Newcastle side that had been enjoying a three-match winning streak.
Match Highlights
West Ham took an early lead in the 10th minute when Tomas Soucek scored with a header. The visitors extended their advantage early in the second half through Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who netted his first goal for the club. This win propels West Ham to 14th place in the Premier League standings, just three points shy of Newcastle, who have now slipped to 10th.
Newcastle’s Struggles
Newcastle’s performance was marred by defensive lapses, allowing West Ham to capitalise and secure the win. Despite an early disallowed goal from Alexander Isak for offside and a close-range save by Lukasz Fabianski from Anthony Gordon, Newcastle failed to mount a significant challenge. Isak, who was warmly received by fans before the match, struggled to make an impact, with six attempts but none on target.
Key Players and Managerial Pressure
Bruno Guimaraes stood out for Newcastle with his creative play, but it was insufficient to inspire a comeback. This defeat marks Newcastle’s third goalless match in their last six league games, raising concerns for manager Eddie Howe. Meanwhile, West Ham will look to build on this victory as a potential turning point in their season under Lopetegui.