Tottenham effectively need one point from their remaining two games to relegate the Hammers to the Championship, as West Ham’s 3-1 defeat at Newcastle deepened fears of Premier League relegation.
West Ham are now keen to give Chelsea an advantage when they welcome Spurs to Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports, but a win for the home side would at least bring the relegation battle to the final day.
West Ham lead Spurs by two points, with a 13-goal difference in favor of Spurs, and their 14-year top flight status is under serious threat. If Spurs lose to Chelsea, West Ham will need to beat Leeds at the London Stadium and will hope for Everton to win against Spurs next Sunday.
We were hoping that victory at St James’s Park would put pressure on Spurs, but instead Newcastle’s two goals in four minutes in the first half were a nightmare for West Ham.
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Nick Woltemade gave Newcastle an early lead
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Will Osla scored twice.
The first one was of their own making, with a poor pass from Mads Hermansen allowing Harvey Barnes to cross, which was returned by a free Nick Waltemaid.
The second goal was expertly scored by the hosts as Will Osla finished off a pass from Jacob Ramsey. However, there was still room for improvement in West Ham’s defense.
Nuno Espirito Santo had to act, and he did. The game plan went awry, the back three setup was abandoned and Tati Castellanos was brought on after just 26 minutes.
The improvement was immediate as sub Nick Pope was forced into a sharp stop and Callum Wilson failed to capitalize on a half-chance at the back post against his former team. But it was Newcastle who scored next – and another West Ham mistake.
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Will Osla scored the third goal.
The visitors managed to lose the ball from their own throw-in, and Joe Willock and Osla exchanged passes, with the latter pushing in to make it 3-0.
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Forward Tati Castellanos scores a screamer to give West Ham hope
That seemed to be the case, but Castellanos reacted in disbelief when Sven Botman misjudged a long forward pass from Hermansen and lobbed Pope from 25 yards to go.
It was a great goal and encouraged his teammates. A shot from the edge of the box by captain Jarrod Bowen would have been better, but Castellanos smashed the ball into the frame and hopes began to build for the most incredible of rescues.
But while Newcastle regained their authority and oversaw a victory that gave them hope of finishing above Sunderland, a major twist was needed in the final week of the season for West Ham to remain in the division.
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Roy Keane believes West Ham’s slow start was due to the Hammers’ inability to overcome the controversial ending to Arsenal.
Nuno punished for damaging West Ham
West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo told Sky Sports.
“We conceded two goals, but that doesn’t mean we lost.The way we conceded the goals was bad and we tried to respond, but it wasn’t enough.
“Mistakes happen. The organization of the team was too open. It was a very difficult game.”
Have the players let you down?
“No, it doesn’t matter. Let’s look at the game. We started poorly and were soft.
“Let’s show respect to the club and try to finish the season with dignity. We owe it to the club to do our best until the end.”
Full-time fan frustration: “I understand, I understand they’re disappointed. They’ve seen a team that has struggled all season.
“They have expressed dissatisfaction with me and my decisions and we understand their feelings.”
Were you surprised by the performance?
“I had a really bad start. I was trying to improve, but I couldn’t make any progress today.
“We have to recognize that our situation is very difficult. There is a lot of anxiety and tension, but we have to take responsibility. Let’s try to finish the season with dignity.
“Let’s wait until Tuesday. Well, it’s possible, but it’s difficult.”
Howe: We have shown real progress in recent weeks.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe told Sky Sports:
“It wasn’t a perfect game for us, but we were very good step by step, especially in the first half.
“I thought we were great with the ball and really creative.
“I think we’ve seen real progress in the last few weeks, a much better performance.
“We are showing signs that we are starting to rediscover our form.”
