- West Ham lose 3-1 to Newcastle United on Sunday evening
- The loss means the Hammers can be relegated on Tuesday night
- Two goals in the first 20 minutes cost the Irons
West Ham United are on the brink of relegation after losing 3-1 to Newcastle United at St James Park. The Hammers started too slow once again and by the time they came to life, the game was already gone.
The loss means that should Tottenham Hotspur win against Chelsea on Tuesday night, West Ham will be relegated from the Premier League. Given the Irons significantly inferior goal difference, Spurs would be safe with just a point from their last two games, barring a huge goal swing.
Two quick fire goals from the host’s saw the Hammers well out off the pace from minute one. Nick Woltemade opened the scoring before Will Osula made it two. Nuno Espirito Santo made his move, bringing on Valentin Castellanos in the first-half. The Argentinian would get a consolation goal after Osula scored his second to end the game.
First-half
Newcastle began the game with the freedom expected from West Ham, and made the away team pay.
On 15 minutes the hosts took the lead. Mads Hermansen’s pass eluded Jean-Clair Todibo and Harvey Barnes pounced to chip the ball into the path of Woltemade who tapped home.
Minutes later, the Magpies made it two. A slick counter-attacking move saw Jacob Ramsey slot through Osula who put the ball through Hermansen’s legs into the back of the net.
Castellanos was put on as the Hammers looked for that goal, but just did not have the clinical nature to find the net.
Nick Pope would deny West Ham twice before half-time as both Crysencio Summerville and Castellanos tested him in the Newcastle net.
Second-half
West Ham kept plugging away in the second-half, looking more like the team that should have started this game. Fernandes tested Pope again, but once again made a shot that was far too straight.
Newcastle went straight up the other end with Lewis Hall testing Hermansen before Konstantinos Mavropanos blocked multiple shots.
Nuno made two more changes to go for it and within seconds, the Magpies ended the game.
Pablo, one of those substitutes, made a slopy pass and Eddie Howes team fired up the pitch with Osula on hand to give the host’s their third.
Castellanos would pull one back with a world-class finish from a long lob from Hermansen but unfortunatley the outrageous strike was worth nothing.
West Ham’s fate could be settled on Tuesday, but it will almost certainly see the Hammers into a different division, barring a miracle.
Teams
Newcastle United: Pope, Trippier (Elanga 85), Thiaw, Botman, Hall, Guimarães, Tonali (Willock 53), Ramsey, Woltemade (Burn 75), Barnes (J.Murphy 75), Osula (Wissa 85)
Subs not used: Ramsdale (GK), A.Murphy, Gordon, Neave
Goals: Woltemade 15, Osula 19, 65
Booked: Hall
West Ham United: Hermansen, Wan-Bissaka (Pablo 63), Mavropanos, Disasi, Todibo (Taty 26), Diouf, Fernandes, Souček (Kanté 63), Bowen, Summerville, Wilson
Subs not used: Areola (GK), Walker-Peters, Scarles, Kilman, Potts, Magassa
Goal: Taty 69
Booked: Souček, Diouf, Kanté
Referee: Jarred Gillett
Attendance: 52,206
