Newcastle had been introduced again right down to earth following their Carabao Cup heroics in midweek as West Ham held them to a deserved 1-1 draw at St James’ Park.

The Magpies have made large strides underneath Eddie Howe this season – with their Wembley date in opposition to Manchester United within the Carabao Cup closing on the finish of the month clear proof of their progress – however their type within the Premier League has been patchy of late.

Newcastle did make a shocking begin to the competition, with Joe Willock’s strike inside the primary minute dominated out by VAR, earlier than Callum Wilson efficiently opened the scoring simply two minutes later.

However West Ham greater than matched their hosts and equalised earlier than half-time by means of Lucas Paqueta, who grew to become the primary participant to attain in opposition to Newcastle within the Premier League since November 6 and handed them their fourth draw of their final 5 video games within the competitors.

Gordon debut fails to encourage goal-shy Magpies

Newcastle stay in a powerful place to return to the Champions League group stage for the primary time since 2002/03 – with fifth-placed Tottenham 4 factors behind them – however they’ve now drawn as many Premier League video games as they’ve received this season (10).

Much more regarding is the variety of objectives the Magpies are at present scoring within the league – simply two of their final 5 video games – and so they had been unable to seek out their type within the closing third after Paqueta ended their exceptional run of fresh sheets.

The match began in unbelievable trend, with Willock drilling the ball previous Lukasz Fabianski inside seconds of kick-off, however VAR dominated the strike out after the ball was proven to have simply gone out of play moments earlier.

However Newcastle shook off that blow to attain once more simply 11 seconds after the restart, with Sean Longstaff threading a superb ball by means of to Wilson, who was handed far an excessive amount of area by West Ham’s three-man defence earlier than slotting previous Fabianski.

However West Ham’s goalkeeper was largely untroubled for the remaining 87 minutes, and the guests hit again when Paqueta latched onto Declan Rice’s nook and turned the ball previous Nick Pope, who missed the possibility to turn into the primary English ‘keeper to document seven consecutive Premier League clear sheets.

Nayef Aguerd missed an important likelihood to earn West Ham the lead simply earlier than half-time, and the house followers – maybe nonetheless coming down from Tuesday’s celebrations – had been noticeably subdued.

Anthony Gordon’s debut from the bench following his £45m transfer from Everton livened up the Newcastle followers and Allan Saint-Maximin – making his first Premier League begin since August – and Wilson went shut.

However in the end West Ham had been capable of comfortably maintain onto a draw that retains them one level above the relegation zone and extends their unbeaten run to 3 matches in all competitions.

Howe: We gave Rice an excessive amount of time

Eddie Howe admitted Newcastle had been unable to maintain their blistering begin and that Declan Rice was allowed “an excessive amount of time” by his aspect.

“It was a good recreation,” mentioned Howe. “I believed it was a really vibrant begin from us – fairly a wierd opening the place we scored twice, however we didn’t fairly carry that on for the remainder of the primary half.

“I believed within the second half we had been excellent – we simply couldn’t break them down.

“West Ham have gotten excellent gamers. I don’t suppose we had been unhealthy within the first half – we simply didn’t sustain that momentum. It’s nearly inconceivable to do this after the primary 5 minutes – we had been electrical and the gang had been within the recreation.

“However I don’t fairly suppose we stamped our authority on the sport like we needed to. We allowed Declan Rice an excessive amount of time. You’ll be able to’t try this – he is a high quality participant – so I needed our midfield to press larger.

“They scored – a poor purpose from our very excessive requirements – and within the second half we did every thing however rating.”

Lack of objectives turning into a difficulty for Newcastle

Sky Sports activities’ Joe Shread:

It’s actually no time to panic, however Howe is unquestionably turning into more and more conscious of Newcastle’s profligacy in entrance of purpose.

The Magpies’ numbers just about match their league place, with the fourth-placed aspect rating fourth for anticipated objectives and sixth for objectives scored within the Premier League this season.

Consequently, it’s unfair to criticise Newcastle’s attacking play an excessive amount of, nevertheless it’s clear an absence of leading edge within the closing third has been hampering Howe’s crew over the previous six weeks.

Seven factors and two objectives of their final 5 league video games is type Howe can be eager to enhance because the battle for the Champions League locations will increase, though simply the one defeat and 12 objectives conceded in 21 video games are unmatched within the high flight.

Howe mentioned Newcastle missed the suspended Bruno Guimaraes – who he known as a “difference-maker” – and admitted the “onus is on us to interrupt groups down”.

Maybe the addition of Gordon, who seemed vigorous on his debut, and the return of document signing Alexander Isak, who missed the sport with concussion, will relight the hearth in Newcastle’s assault.

With a visit to his former membership Bournemouth subsequent weekend, adopted by the go to of Liverpool and a cup closing in opposition to Manchester United – which is able to see the return of Guimareas – earlier than the top of the month, Howe will hope that proves to be the case.

Moyes: We had been improbable

West Ham supervisor David Moyes thought his aspect’s efficiency was “improbable”, however was nonetheless sad with the best way they began the sport.

“I believe we deserve a bit of little bit of credit score as a result of we have not been enjoying so effectively, however I believed we performed very effectively as we speak,” mentioned Moyes. “We deserve plenty of credit score for coming right here and placing on such a superb efficiency.

“That first minute was anticipated by how Newcastle have been beginning video games so we have solely bought ourselves in charge. We bought away with the primary one, however you’d have hoped the linesman would have seen it earlier. We then gave them a purpose 20, 30 seconds later.

“We responded completely fantastically. We performed brilliantly effectively within the first half. We handed the ball effectively, we confirmed good management and made some respectable alternatives ourselves. I am actually happy with how the gamers performed.

“It is solely a degree however we take it. It was a tough recreation for us and it retains a little bit of a run going for us. We would have preferred to have come right here and received, however we had been up in opposition to a crew in actually good type.”

West Ham producing momentum forward of Chelsea showdown

West Ham have misplaced solely two of their final eight video games at dwelling to Chelsea and the go to of their rivals subsequent Saturday appears to be coming on the excellent time.

The Blues are languishing in ninth within the Premier League, with simply two wins from their final 11 video games in all competitions, and the Hammers lastly seem to have turned the nook in what has been an underwhelming season.

Talking after their draw at Newcastle, Jamie Redknapp advised Sky Sports activities: “I believe they’ll take lots from the efficiency.

“Moyes can be that squad now, trying on the gamers at his disposal, a bit of bit extra high quality in there as effectively after which back-up as effectively.

“Danny Ings goes to be a extremely good signing, he’ll get loads of objectives and so they’ll be trying ahead to the sport in opposition to Chelsea subsequent weekend. It is the sort of recreation they dwell for.

“They are going to have been nervous earlier than as we speak’s recreation as a result of it is such a troublesome place to go. To go and decide up a extremely priceless level, it simply retains that run going.”

That run has seen West Ham lose simply as soon as in six matches in 2023 – an indication that Moyes is maybe instilling the toughness in his aspect that powered their memorable 2021/22 marketing campaign.

What’s subsequent?

Newcastle are again on Sky Sports activities when Eddie Howe returns to former aspect Bournemouth subsequent Saturday; kick-off 5.30pm. They’re additionally dwell on Sky Sports activities when Liverpool go to St James’ Park on Saturday February 18; kick-off 5.30pm.

Saturday eleventh February 5:00pm


Kick off 5:30pm

West Ham face back-to-back London derbies and welcome Chelsea to the London Stadium on Saturday February 11 within the lunchtime recreation; kick-off 12.30pm. They then go to Tottenham dwell on Sky Sports activities on Sunday February 19; kick-off 4.30pm.