West Ham United demonstrated their potential in the Premier League with a comeback victory over Newcastle United, winning 3-1. Jarrod Bowen, the Hammers' captain, nearly scored early on but hit the post.
Jacob Murphy capitalised on this to put Newcastle ahead within four minutes. However, West Ham turned the game around by halftime, thanks to Lucas Paqueta's long-range strike and Sven Botman's own goal during stoppage time.
Freddie Potts, making his full Premier League debut, had a goal disallowed for offside. The win was secured in the 97th minute when substitute Tomas Soucek scored. This victory lifted West Ham to 18th place in the standings and marked Nuno Espirito Santo's first win since taking over as manager from Graham Potter in September. Bowen sees this as a strong foundation for future success.
The Hammers celebrated their first home league win since February, ending a nine-game winless streak at London Stadium. They also achieved a rare comeback victory, having not won from behind in 32 league matches since defeating Luton Town 3-1 in their final home game of the 2023-24 season. Despite some fans protesting against the club's hierarchy after the match, many were pleased with the team's performance.
West Ham registered an expected goals (xG) total of 1.67 from 15 shots, nine of which were on target. In contrast, Newcastle managed an xG of only 0.54 from their 12 attempts. Nuno acknowledged areas needing improvement, particularly how his team starts matches. Since last season began, West Ham have conceded seven goals within the first five minutes of Premier League games.
Lucas Paqueta played a crucial role in West Ham's success, leading the team with 72 touches, 45 accurate passes, and six total crosses. His goal was his fifth Premier League home strike from outside the box, tying him with Frank Lampard for most long-range goals at home for West Ham. Paqueta expressed satisfaction with his performance and emphasised teamwork and focus as key factors in their victory.
"Today we showed our character," Paqueta said. "We played positively and stayed focussed until the end. We played well and got three points. " He added that sometimes he tries to pass but is encouraged by teammates like Jarrod Bowen to shoot more often.
Nuno Espirito Santo's Perspective
Nuno Espirito Santo highlighted that winning requires hard work in the Premier League. "The players are realising that winning in the Premier League, we have to work very hard," he stated. He noted improvements on the pitch and stressed creating a solid platform for future performances.
The victory brought smiles to players' faces and made them feel more energised on the field. Nuno aims to build on this momentum as they continue their campaign.
This result marks an important step forward for West Ham as they aim to climb higher up the table under Nuno's leadership.
