West Ham 2 Newcastle 2
Eddie Howe’s side travelled to London on the back of a memorable win against PSG in the Champions League, ready to face a West Ham side who have made a good start to the season. This is what is going to be test for Newcastle this season, tough Premier League games after European adventures.
As an early ball was lofted forward, Emerson’s touch took him around Pope who had come charging off his line, allowing the full back to square it for Soucek to slot home. The goal was really made by the Newcastle keeper’s decision to come so far out to try and win the ball.
Paqueta then did an impressive pirouette to beat two players, feeding the ball to Emerson who was brought down by Guimaraes. The referee showed both West Ham and Newcastle players yellow cards as Emerson waved his hand around to the referee demanding a card be shown.
Guimaraes then hacked down Ward-Prowse as he ran past him and the referee chose not to show him a yellow card, despite the late challenge. It was reminiscent of Diogo Jota’s two yellow cards last week, but who are we ask for consistency from these warped officials.
Credit: @WestHam
Paqueta then tripped Lascelles as he strode forward which immediately prompted Almiron to wave his hand in the air demanding a yellow card. The referee chose to ignore this, despite having booked the West Ham player for exactly the same thing moments earlier.
The short-term memory span of these officials are that of a goldfish and is what infuriates fans as in no other job would you get away with such inconsistent work and still have a job to go to the following week.
Burn got his head to the resulting free kick and it had Areola scrambling across his goal as it narrowly missed the far post. Close but no cigar for the visitors as they headed into the break still behind to that Soucek effort.
Isak chipped a ball to the back post and Burn got his head to it to draw a wonderful save out of Areola to keep the ball out. As Paqueta looked to immediately break, play was brought back as Tonali went to ground with a free kick awarded. The replay showed it was nothing of the sort, the Italian had conned the official. What odds would that be?
As Trippier clipped the ball into the box, Isak seized on the knock-down and slotted the ball home despite seemingly being in an offside position. VAR checked it and decided as it came off a West Ham defender it was a goal, questionable as to whether it was an intentional touch.
Kieran Trippier then got another assist as he brilliantly volleyed the ball across goal for Isak to tap home and turn this game around in the space of five minutes. The Swede almost got his hat trick as he struck the outside of the post after rounding the keeper moments later.
Credit: @NUFC
Coufal then came striding forward down the right and squared the ball to substitute Kudus as he struck a left-footed shot past Pope in the Newcastle goal. Just desserts for some of the decisions that had gone against The Hammers.
Bowen still had time to cut inside and get a shot away but just as it seemed Benrahma would tap the ball home, Nick Pope got an important touch to take it away from him. The points were shared between the sides, although David Moyes has a right to question the referee’s performance in the game which would be described by the French as ‘les incompetents’.
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