Newcastle United beat West Ham 1-0 on Monday to boost their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.
MORE – Full match replay
Ahead of a huge week for Newcastle with the League Cup final at Wembley on Sunday against Liverpool, they huffed and puffed against West Ham and captain Bruno Guimaraes slid home the winner in the second half.
After losing four of their last six league games, and plenty of key players due to suspension and injury, this win was a welcome boost for Eddie Howe’s side.
They are now on 47 points, level with fifth-place Manchester City. West Ham remain on 33 points.
Confidence boost for solid Newcastle
After a poor run in the Premier League saw them drop off the pace in the race for Champions League qualification, plus injuries and suspensions piling up, this was a welcome win for Eddie Howe’s side as they’re firmly back in the race to get back into Europe’s elite knockout competition. This win was especially huge ahead of the League Cup final this weekend. Ever since they qualified for the final against Liverpool everything has been a little nervous around Newcastle. You can understand why. There is so much pressure on Howe and these Newcastle players to win their first trophy since 1955. But a professional, solid defensive display will give them hope that if they catch Liverpool on an off day they can use Isak, set pieces and the sheer will of Bruno Guimaraes to get the job done. If they do it means they will have delivered a truly memorable day to give their fans what they’re so desperate for. Winning the League Cup trophy is so important but so to is qualifying for the Champions League which will have been Newcastle’s main aim at the start of the season. Who says they can’t have both?
West Ham vs Newcastle player ratings (via FotMob.com)
What’s next?
West Ham head to Everton on Saturday, March 15. Newcastle face Liverpool in the League Cup final on Sunday before the international break.
West Ham vs Newcastle score: 0-1
Guimaraes 63'
West Ham vs Newcastle live updates! — By Joe Prince-Wright
Just over 10 minutes to go... can Newcastle hang on?
The Hammers haven’t really recovered from that goal. Newcastle bring on Wilson and Willock for Isak and Barnes to try and close it out.
Bruno Guimaraes slides in and finishes! — West Ham 0-1 Newcastle
That was coming! As my good friend sat next to me says, ‘what a ball that is from Barnes!’ it finds Bruno Guimaraes and he arrives with perfect timing to slide it home. Newcastle deservedly lead. Bruno celebrates with a lovely dance in front of the delirious Newcastle fans in the away end.
Areola pulls off a great save
A cross from the right is deflected towards their own goal by West Ham but somehow goalkeeper Areola leaps to his right and claws the ball off the line. What a brilliant save. Isak then acrobatically hooks a difficult chance over the bar.
West Ham have started the second half well
Kudus is feeling it and charges into the box and whips in a lovely cross to the back post but nobody is there to tape home. Moments later a corner is whipped in but Newcastle clear. The hosts are probing.
Half time: West Ham 0-0 Newcastle
Well, that was a tight, tense first half. A few chances for each but Soucek and Barnes went the closest.
Barnes has a header saved
A corner is flicked back in and Barnes’ header is well saved by Areola. Newcastle looking the brighter of the two teams now.
Bowen’s shot is saved by Pope but Kudus almost nips in
Bowen with a nice run but a tame finish and Pope saves easily but he spills it and Kudus is there snapping away at the rebound but Pope gathers it again.
Newcastle have woken up
Trippier’s shot from a cross is deflected towards goal and Areola does really well to save it. Moments later Bruno goes down under a challenge from Soucek but after a quick check VAR says no penalty kick. Nowhere near enough contact there. Play on!
Barnes shanks one wide
Nice play from Bruno in the build up as he slots in Harvey Barnes. However, he gets his shot all wrong as he shanks it harmlessly wide.
West Ham have started well
Bowen clips in a cross and it hits Alvarez and flies over the bar. The Hammers have started well and Soucek had a decent chance.
West Ham lineup
Areola; Todibo, Kilman, Cresswell; Wan-Bissaka, Soucek, Ward-Prowse, Alvarez, Scarles; Kudus, Bowen
Newcastle lineup
Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Barnes
West Ham United team news, focus
OUT: Vladimir Coufal (hamstring), Niclas Fullkrug (hamstring), Michail Antonio (DETAILS), Crysencio Summerville (hamstring)
Newcastle United team news, focus
OUT: Lewis Hall (foot - out for season), Anthony Gordon (suspension), Jamaal Lascelles (knee), Sven Botman (knee) | QUESTIONABLE: Kieran Trippier (lower back)
West Ham vs Newcastle prediction
The Magpies lost 2-0 at home to West Ham in November when Tomas Soucek and Aaron Wan-Bissaka scored early in each half, and Newcastle’s back line is a bit beleaguered with two fullbacks and two center backs on the injury list this week. West Ham welcome back Lucas Paqueta and things are going well for a side tasked with continuing to score while cooling off Isak. One of those seems more likely than the other. West Ham 1-1 Newcastle United.
West Ham vs Newcastle preview
Graham Potter’s Irons have shut out Arsenal and Leicester City in their last two starts as their mission to reach the top half of the table this season got a little easier with nine points between their 15th-place footing and Fulham and Aston Villa’s 42 points in ninth and 10th.
Standing in their way, however, is a dangerous Newcastle team fighting injuries and inconsistency with a League Cup Final looming on the horizon. Alexander Isak is healthy and that’s a huge challenge for West Ham’s 266-minute clean sheet streak in PL play, but things aren’t as bright as they seem on the surface.
The Magpies are sixth on the Premier League table, two points behind Chelsea, three back of Man City, and four off of Nottingham Forest, but they’ve lost four of six in the league, Anthony Gordon is suspended after his petulant red card versus Liverpool, and the club is set to miss Lewis Hall for the rest of the season and Sven Botman for a couple of months.
How to watch West Ham vs Newcastle live, stream link and start time
Kick off time: 4pm ET Monday
Venue: London Stadium — London
TV Channel: USA
Streaming: Watch online via NBC.com
