West Ham produced a clinical performance to secure a 2-0 away win over resurgent Newcastle on Monday, easing the pressure on manager Julen Lopetegui.
Tomas Soucek put the visitors ahead against the run of play with a header in the 10th minute, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka doubled their lead in the second half with a rare goal to seal the victory.
Newcastle, buoyed by recent wins over Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, failed to capitalize on the chances they created, unable to convert their momentum into goals.
The result, West Ham’s second away win of the season, lifts them to 15 points, just three behind 10th-placed Newcastle, who missed an opportunity to break into the top six.
Lopetegui Relieved
The victory came as a huge relief for Lopetegui, whose future at the club had been under scrutiny following a difficult start to the season.
“We are happy, above all because we achieved the three points,” Lopetegui told Sky Sports. “But we are happy because I think we played well. We are working hard, looking forward to the next challenge.”
Despite early dominance by Newcastle, West Ham made the most of their few attacking opportunities. Alexander Isak had an early goal ruled out for offside, and the visitors capitalized on a corner to take the lead. Soucek’s header from Emerson Palmieri’s set-piece in the 10th minute put West Ham in front.
Newcastle, on a three-match winning streak, controlled possession but struggled to break down West Ham’s resilient defense. Anthony Gordon and Isak both missed golden chances to level the score.
Wan-Bissaka Seals the Win
In the second half, West Ham doubled their lead with Wan-Bissaka’s first goal for the club. The former Manchester United defender latched onto a pass from Jarrod Bowen and fired across goalkeeper Nick Pope into the net in the 53rd minute.
Despite a late push from Newcastle, including substitutions of Jacob Murphy and Callum Wilson, the home side couldn’t break down West Ham’s defense. The visitors saw out the game with relative ease.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe acknowledged his side’s struggles in the second half: “The first 60 minutes were good, but the last half hour I didn’t like. We became too desperate to score.”
