Newcastle Beat West Ham to Boost UCL Hopes

Newcastle’s Champions League prospects were raised by defeating West Ham 1-0 away from home, therefore moving level on points with fifth-placed Manchester City in the Premier League.

Newcastle now heads into Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Liverpool with a much-needed confidence boost following recent losses of defence pair Sven Botman and Lewis Hall to injury and Anthony Gordon to suspension for the journey to Wembley. After latching on Harvey Barnes’ cross to poke Newcastle into the lead (64), Bruno Guimaraes’ second-half effort proved to be the decisive factor; but, it was a goal West Ham claimed should have been ruled out after Alexander Isak appeared to push Max Kilman from a potentially offside position.

After the game, Potter stated, “They scored and from our vantage point, the goal is frustrating. “We believe it is really obvious. Two hands back on the defender’s rear. It is a shove. Not celebrating, he [Isak] felt it was a shove.

While Areola impressed at one end, his team-mates flattered to fool at the other as West Ham boss Graham Potter was left ruing his team’s missed chances from earlier in the game Tomas Soucek spooning his effort over the bar from close range and Mohammed Kudus squandering his opportunity when through on goal.

Before the break, Barnes himself had gone near to handing the Magpies the advantage, but Hammers custodian Alphonse Areola—one of their standout players—twice denied him.