The afternoon at West Ham United’s London Stadium began in bleak fashion but ended in euphoric relief as the Hammers secured a welcome 3-1 victory over Newcastle United in the Premier League.
For West Ham, this was their first home league win since February and also the first under manager Nuno Espírito Santo, a result that carries greater significance given their slow start to the season.
The match opened ominously for the hosts. Just four minutes in, Newcastle capitalised on a rapid counter-attack when Jacob Murphy slipped beyond the defence and fired past goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, giving the visitors a shock early lead.
The goal encapsulated the familiar fragility of West Ham’s starts this season, exposing defensive lapses that have plagued their campaign.
But the mood rapidly shifted. The hosts, instead of succumbing to the early blow, gradually began building momentum. A key moment arrived when Jarrod Bowen rattled the post in the opening seconds, signalling what might come.
Then, in the 35th minute, Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paquetá produced a moment of quality: receiving a headed pass from team-mate Mateus Fernandes, he unleashed a powerful low drive from distance that beat Newcastle’s goalkeeper Nick Pope at his near post. The goal marked a timely tonal shift for West Ham, and Paquetá’s third non-penalty strike of the season from outside the box further underlined his importance in unlocking defences.
Just before half-time, West Ham turned the contest on its head. A surging run from Aaron Wan-Bissaka down the right flank set up a low cross that caught out Sven Botman, whose attempted clearance inadvertently diverted the ball past his own goalkeeper.
The own goal handed West Ham a 2-1 lead at the interval — a reward for their dominance in the first half and a reminder of how small margins can swing momentum.
At half-time, the atmosphere around the home side shifted. Where frustration had hovered, now there was cautious optimism. Manager Nuno Espírito Santo’s pre-match anxiety—with lingering pressure after a string of disappointing results—turned into resolve.
The supporters sensed the chance for something different. The first half had showcased West Ham’s improved organisation, with Areola pulling off two excellent saves to thwart Anthony Gordon and Joelinton, while the midfield trio of Paquetá, Fernandes, and academy graduate Freddie Potts gave Newcastle fewer moments to dictate play.
The second half, however, told a different story. Newcastle sought to regain the initiative through a triple substitution by manager Eddie Howe—bringing on Jacob Ramsey, William Osula, and Fabian Schär—but the fresh legs failed to ignite any meaningful resurgence.
While Newcastle held more possession, they lacked purpose in the attacking third, struggled to create clear-cut chances, and offered West Ham few serious scares. Newcastle attempted 27 crosses in the game but managed only two successful ones, a statistic that underlines their ineffective wide play.
West Ham, for their part, defended resolutely without being spectacular. A moment when Potts looked to have scored on his first Premier League start was ruled out via VAR for a marginal offside, a reminder that luck still sits apart from performance.
Then, deep into stoppage time, with Newcastle tiring and West Ham sensing their goal, Bowen pounced on a loose ball after Pope’s parry and laid it across for Tomáš Souček to slide the ball home and seal a 3-1 victory. The late goal emphatically confirmed the turnaround for the under-pressure hosts.
For Newcastle, the afternoon will raise further concerns. While the club arrived with genuine ambitions of challenging for higher honours, their away record remains a troubling anomaly: they have now gone without a league victory on the road all season.
Meanwhile, for West Ham, this result offers tangible hope. With the cloud of insecurity lifting from the London Stadium, the Hammers demonstrated character, improved tactical discipline, and an attacking spark that has too often been lacking.