West Ham 3 Newcastle 1 – Sunday 2 November 2025 2pm
I’ve learned not to be over-confident after 60 years of following Newcastle United but I was pretty sure we’d win this game.
After our fourth-minute goal, I thought we’d romp it.
So, I fear, did the Newcastle team, who seemed to take their foot off the gas for the rest of the first half, instead of swarming all over a dispirited opponent.
Predictably, in the absence of any effort from Newcastle, West Ham gained some confidence, got better, and went into the break 2-1 up.
Eddie made three somewhat baffling changes at the start of the second period, followed by another soon after. Having said that, only Thiaw, Sandro and Murphy looked worth persevering with based on the first 45 minutes.
The second half was no different.
Poor passing, players easily dispossessed and a lack of cohesion and energy. By the time the full-time whistle went, we were on our fourth right-back (Krafth, Thiaw, Murphy, Tonali) and our third bottle of sleeping pills. We were all over the place when West Ham scored their third.
I don’t like criticising the team too much but this was an unacceptable performance against one of the worst teams in the Premier League.
It was reminiscent of a Steve Bruce selection, but at least he could argue he didn’t have the players. Eddie does, and they let him down. It was as bad a performance as he has presided over. West Ham were worthy winners.
Nick Pope 5
Beaten three times and has to take the blame for the first goal.
Punched a catchable ball straight to West Ham and could have done better with the shot.
Could probably have done better with the third goal, too. On the other hand, he made some decent saves.
He’s not to blame for the defeat but he didn’t help.
Emil Krafth 5
Summerville had the beating of him but he tried his best.
Was subbed off at half-time.
Malick Thiaw 6
Not the worst player in green today.
Looked OK on the ball, even when he was shifted to right-back.
Showed some enterprise but to little effect.
Sven Botman 4
Unfortunate own goal and a below-par performance.
Looked leggy to me and he got worse after all the HT changes. Subbed off (for Harvey Barnes!).
Dan Burn 5
Another one who looked off the pace.
We’ll always get commitment from Dan Burn but we needed more than that today.
Maybe he was trying too hard because he was caught out of position a couple of times.
Bruno Guimaraes 4
I thought he played poorly.
A good assist for Murphy’s goal but nothing else came off for him.
Looked frustrated and short on ideas.
Sandro Tonali 6
The only midfielder who turned up on a day when we should have overrun our opponents.
Saw plenty of the ball but none of his teammates were on his wavelength.
Mind you, when he was moved to right-back, neither was I.
Joelinton 4
Some decent touches but he seemed to dial down the aggression.
I know he can overdo that at times but it was almost completely lacking today.
It was almost as if his mind was elsewhere.
Jacob Murphy 6
Arguably our best performer in the first half and certainly the only player in green with energy.
Scored a lovely goal, came close to a second, but ran out of ideas in the second half.
By the time he was subbed off, he was playing right-back…
Nick Woltemade 5
Some creative touches but very little impact.
Well marshalled by the West Ham defence; hooked at half-time.
Anthony Gordon 4
Was awful for most of the first half – West Ham just took the ball off AG when they wanted, and he looked uninterested.
Got a little better but no surprise to see him hooked at HT.
SUBS
Fabian Schar 5
Did OK, I thought, but it’s hard to improve a team that is playing so badly.
Jacob Ramsey 5
The pick of our subs for me.
Got on the ball and tried hard to influence things. Could prove to be an astute signing.
William Osula 4
Huffed, puffed, but had no effect on proceedings.
Harvey Barnes 4
Looked like he meant business, but by the time he entered the fray, West Ham had things under control.
He didn’t change that.
Anthony Elanga 4
Another who had little effect on the game.
In his defence, he’s best on the break, and West Ham were defending too deep to allow him any space by the time he came on.
West Ham 3 Newcastle 1 – Sunday 2 November 2025 2pm
Match Stats
Goals:
Newcastle United:
Murphy 4
West Ham:
Paqueta 35, Botman OG 45+5, Soucek 90+7
Possession was Newcastle 62% West Ham 38%
Total shots were Newcastle 12 West Ham 15
Shots on target were Newcastle 4 West Ham 9
Corners were Newcastle 6 West Ham 7
Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 22 West Ham 21
Newcastle team v West Ham:
Pope, Krafth (Schar 45), Thiaw, Botman (Barnes 65), Burn, Bruno, Joelinton, Tonali, Gordon (Ramsey 46), Woltemade (Osula 46), Murphy (Elanga 77)
Subs:
Ramsdale, Hall, Willock, Miley
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