Worrying signs for West Ham as Callum Wilson and Jeff Hendrick score on debut to secure win for Newcastle
by Matt Law, Football News Correspondent, , Jake Goodwill, (Live Updates)
We are only 90 minutes into the new season and the angry fans cannot even get into the stadium, but West Ham United already feel on the brink of yet another crisis.
Debut goals from Callum Wilson and Jeff Hendrick were enough to make sure West Ham made a losing start against Newcastle, which many of their fed up supporters would have predicted.
At the end of a summer in which no players have yet been signed and the most promising young player was sold to prompt a civil war led by captain Mark Noble, things might be about to get even worse for the Hammers.
This was a performance that screamed of another relegation battle in the stadium that, according to West Ham’s owners, was meant to be hosting Champions League football.
A small group of fans who can no longer voice their discontent inside the ground organised a small-scale protest outside the London Stadium.
Banners calling for owners David Sullivan and David Gold, and vice-chairman Karren Brady to go were on display with social distancing restrictions doing nothing to stop the annual feeling of discontent.
The sale of Grady Diangana to West Bromwich Albion was the latest move to cause controversy and how West Ham could have done with an energetic fast winger to call on. Noble’s angry expression after he had been substituted suggested the midfielder has not yet got over that particular decision.
West Ham have tried to spend the Diangana money on Burnley’s James Tarkowski and the defending for both of Newcastle’s goals demonstrated why manager David Moyes wants to strengthen his back-line.
But there are now doubts over whether or not West Ham will make a third offer for Tarkowski, having had two rejected, and, more pertinently, why would he want to join this circus?
Other than now facing a race against time to make some much-needed new signings, West Ham could yet face a battle to hang on to Declan Rice who could not be blamed for being tempted by a return to Chelsea, who will soon turn their attention to the England midfielder.
Throw in the fact West Ham’s next Premier League games are against Arsenal, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Liverpool, and Moyes faces a daunting task just to limit the damage.
"I think you are always trying to improve the squad, but that wasn’t the reason we lost,” said Moyes. “We need to get better with the players we have and they can be better, undoubtedly.
“We’ve played one game. We played really, really well at the end of last season, so if we can get back to the standards of those nine games then we will be in a good position.”
Newcastle themselves are a club that know a thing or two about a crisis, but manager Steve Bruce’s summer business is already looking smart.
Wilson could have topped a fine debut with more than his one goal that came 11 minutes after half-time. Hendrick headed on Javier Manquillo’s deflected cross and the £20million striker got his boot to the ball ahead of West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski.
He had previously headed and shot narrowly wide from left-back Jamal Lewis, who also made an encouraging first appearance for Newcastle.
Hendrick was the subject of a loud penalty appeal from the home side, who twice hit the bar in the first half through Angelo Ogbonna and Pablo Fornals, after substitute Sebastien Haller’s shot hit the upper arm of the free transfer midfielder.
But referee Stuart Attwell ignored the appeals and Hendrick rubbed salt into West Ham’s wounds by picking out the top corner of the net after Aaron Cresswell had stood off him inside the penalty area.
“We have been missing the goals, Callum will give us something different and makes the squad better,” said Bruce. “It is a long season and cannot get carried away, but the last week has been a positive week for everybody, the impact the signings have made. We needed people who could hit the ground running and on this evidence I think we were right.”
And that's all from me tonight
Read Matt Law's match report for a full recap of the evening's events.
Newcastle deserved to take all three points tonight
They were the better side overall, although West Ham did have their moments in the first half.
Newcastle's new signings - and Andy Carroll - were particularly impressive.
And what a shot it was!
FULL TIME: West Ham 0 Newcastle 2
Shelvey works his way into the box from a short corner, Fabianski parrying a shot away. Fredericks breaks down the right, but his cross is straight into the arms of Darlow.
And that is that, Newcastle deserved winners!
90+3 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 2
Newcastle spray the ball from side to side, eager to run down the clock. A loose pass allows West Ham to break.
Yarmolenko beats Lewis with ease, sending in a cross to the front post - but there is no-one to meet it.
West Ham come again, Anderson breaks forward, rolling the ball to Yarmolenko who cuts in and unleashes a powerful shot. Good save from Darlow. Newcastle counter but Almiron's shot is blocked wide for a corner.
90 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 2
West Ham win a corner, Newcastle just about scramble clear. Cresswell fires it back into the box, but Darlow claims it.
There will be five minutes of added time.
88 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 2
Sean Longstaff is on for Carroll - who has been impressive today. Felipe Anderson is on for Bowen.
Surely it is game over now?
GOOOOOOAAAAAAL! HENDRICK West Ham 0 Newcastle 2
Almiron and Carroll play a one-two before Almiron rolls the ball to Hendrick. He takes one touch before rifling into the top corner. What a strike!
Another debutant scores for Newcastle!
85 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 1
Carroll is fouled by Ogbonna on half-way. Goal-scorer Wilson is coming off, replaced by Almiron. The free kick forward by Manquillo is wasted, Carroll was not even ready for it!
83 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 1
West Ham force another corner, Lewis miscontrolling the ball under pressure. Fredericks crosses in a second ball, Haller wins it but his flick on is comfortably saved by Darlow.
80 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 1
The home side win a corner. Cresswell whips it in, the ball is headed to Yarmolenko who has his shot deflected out for another corner. The second attempt is also headed clear.
West Ham are really lacking some quality in the final third so far tonight.
78 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 1
West Ham have failed to utlise their more attacking shape yet. A speculative cross is headed clear, allowing Newcastle to counter. The attack culminates in a Shelvey shot from the edge of the box which is well blocked by Ogbonna.
75 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 1
Saint-Maximin strides forward, unleashing his team. A low cross towards Wilson is met by Fabianski. The ball falls to Saint-Maximin but he fires into the stands.
On comes Joelinton, replacing Saint-Maximin.
73 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 1
Hayden is down in the middle of the park, Ogbonna puts the ball out of play. Hayden looks set to continue, not sure how long that will last.
70 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 1
Now Yarmolenko is booked for a tackle on Saint-Maximin. West Ham are really racking up the fouls on the winger.
68 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 1
West Ham win a corner. The ball is crossed in and it falls to ground. After a number of unsuccessful attempts to clear, Haller fires towards goal. It is blocked by Hendrick and West Ham appeal for hand ball. VAR checks, it does hit the arm BUT his arm was right by his side.
Elswehere, Manquillo picks up a booking for a sliding challenge. This game is heating up!
66 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 1
The home side showed promise in the first half, but have been poor after the break. Newcastle just about deserve their lead overall. Yarmolenko and Haller are on for Noble and Fornals - attacking move!
The ball runs off the pitch and Antonio barges a member of the Newcastle staff away from the ball as he tries to slow the play down. A gentle telling off from the referee follows.
Callum Wilson certainly enjoys playing against West Ham
61 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 1
Rice fires in a dangerous cross, Lascelles does well to intercept. How long until we see a substitute from West Ham?
Manquillo has looked sharp tonight
58 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 1
Newcastle attack once again, Saint-Maximin whipping in a cross that wins a corner for his side. The ball in is headed clear.
Moyes has sent Felipe Anderson, among others, to warm-up after conceding.
GOOOOOOOAAAAAAL! WILSON West Ham 0 Newcastle 1
Manquillo crosses into the box, Hendrick flicks on and the debutant Wilson nips in to touch it past Fabianski! Poacher's finish.
54 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Saint-Maximin bursts down the right and is tripped by Fredericks - not for the first time. Yellow card shown.
53 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
West Ham spread the ball around the back, failing to find an incisive ball forward. Bowen drops deep to try and spark some action, only for the home side to be forced to pass back to Fabianski. A long ball forward drops to Rice who sprays a pass into the empty stands, not the best passage of play.
49 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Wilson picks up the ball on the edge of the box, chipping it towards the back post where his strike partner was waiting. Carroll wins a corner, but it is cleared with ease by the home side.
47 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Wilson plays a well-weighted pass to Shelvey, a cross into the box follows but it is too high even for Carroll. West Ham clear.
The second half is underway
Will the deadlock be broken?
An obvious ploy executed in the first half
Andy Carroll + Callum Wilson = promising partnership
The two have worked well together. Carroll has done a lot of the donkey work, allowing Wilson to get into the box as much as possible. No goals yet, but plenty of promise.
HALF TIME! West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
And that's the half. Lots of action, slight lack of quality - but still very entertaining!
45 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
The tempo has now slowed, both sides perhaps tiring a touch after a spell of end-to-end action. Diop hands the ball to Hendrick who ignites a counter-attack, which comes to nothing in the end.
Just one minute of added time.
Here is the second time West Ham struck the bar!
42 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
The game has been played at a frantic pace in the last 20 minutes, with both teams creating chances. Carroll and Wilson look a dangerous pair while Antonio continues to impress in the striker role.
Saint-Maximin is fouled on half-way, not for the first time today.
40 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Rice breaks forward down the right hand side, rolling the ball into Bowen who leans back, firing his shot well over the bar! Another chance spurned.
At the other end, Wilson curls a speculative effort from the edge of the box which ends up missing by not too much. Decent strike.
37 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
The corner is headed away and Newcastle counter - end to end stuff! Saint-Maximin breaks clear but Fredericks does well to force him to pass. Wilson cannot do anything with it, eventually winning a corner.
West Ham deal with the set-piece. Feels like a goal is coming!
34 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Carroll wins the ball on the edge of box, using deft control and multiple touches to set up a volley. His effort is deflected out for a corner, which comes to nothing.
It is West Ham's turn to counter. Bowen rolls the ball into the box and Fornals' effort hits the bar after a deflection! The second time the ball has struck the woodwork.
VAR wants to see if that was deflected off the arm of the defender, nope, just a corner.
31 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Ogbonna stays down after a clash with Hendrick, eventually returning to his feet. Once play restarts, the Hammers charge forward. Antonio is free in the box but the cross is pulled behind him, killing the momentum.
Newcastle immediately counter, Shelvey breaking into the box only to fire his shot into the side netting. This match is starting to liven up!
The closest either side has come so far!
28 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
West Ham counter, Antonio striding forward after Lascelles lost possession. He drives into the box, deciding to take a shot on. The ball is driven low to the right of Darlow, but not with enough power and a comfortable save is made.
Another chance for the home side! Soucek wins a header in the box but it goes just wide. Much better from David Moyes' side.
26 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Shelvey finds Carroll, unmarked, in the box but his attempt - from quite a long way out - goes high and wide. He got some good power on that.
Newcastle attack once more, Carroll controlling a long ball before passing to Saint-Maximin. The French winger loses control of the ball, skilling himself rather than the defenders.
24 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Shelvey stands over it, eyeing up goal. He whips it but a deflection from the wall loops it into the hands of Fabianski.
Manquillo then crosses from the right, winning a corner.
Steve Bruce will certainly be the happier of the managers so far.
22 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Soucek plays a bouncing pass back to Fabianski who can only spoon the ball back to Newcastle. Lewis is played in down the left, sending in a low cross but Wilson's left footed attempt goes wide. Once again, two of the new signing link-up nicely.
Hayden just beats Soucek to a 50-50 ball, free kick to Newcastle in a dangerous area.
19 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Fredericks puts in a meaty challenge on Saint-Maximin, definitely a foul. Newcastle play the free kick on half-way long - too long - and into the hands of Fabianski.
17 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Saint-Maximin drives down the right hand side but his cross cannot find a teammate. Newcastle come once again, with Shelvey firing a low-cross into the box. Wilson cannot control the ball and West Ham get a reprieve when Hayden gives away another foul.
14 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Noble lofts the ball into the box and Ogbonna heads the ball towards goal with power, striking the bar! Great effort from the Italian defender.
12 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
West Ham are starting to get into the game, working their way calmly up the pitch. A potential chance halted due to an offside.
Antonio then breaks forward, beating Hayden to the ball who chops him down - yellow card awarded.
10 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Once again Carroll uses his elbow while jumping for a ball in the air, he needs to be careful. No contact on this occasion but it was close - and it is certainly on the referee's radar.
7 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Newcastle win a corner down the left hand side. Shelvey whips in a dangerous ball and Fernandez heads towards goal, Fabianski parrying it back into the box before the ball is scrambled away. Good save.
5 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Soucek passes the ball back to Fabianski who picks it up, surely a pass back? The Newcastle players appeal but nothing given. Odd.
Shelvey has started brightly, controlling play from midfield. After sustained pressure, Lewis whips in a dangerous cross that Wilson heads just wide. Good start from the new recruits.
2 min: West Ham 0 Newcastle 0
Andy Carroll throws his weight around early doors, giving away an early foul with his elbow. VAR has a look, no more serious action required.
Players are out on the pitch!
Here we go...
A historically favourable fixture for Newcastle...
Can Andy Carroll score against his former side?
Steve Bruce believes his physicality will come in handy in both attack and defence today. If Carroll is fully fit, he will undoubtedly be a handful for his former employers.
While there is plenty of change at Newcastle, the same cannot be said of West Ham
With no new faces in at West Ham, boss David Moyes has named a familiar looking side with just one change from the team which drew 1-1 with Aston Villa on the final day of last season with Aaron Cresswell returning at left-back.
Cresswell's left foot can add something in attack, but certainly not the most exciting of line-ups for the opening match of the season...
An impressive tally even for a 21-year-old as talented as Declan Rice
There has been plenty going on at West Ham, and the season has barely started!
David Moyes said West Ham United captain Mark Noble showed “exactly what the players feel” by criticising the board’s decision to sell Grady Diangana to West Brom.
Moyes said his players should be allowed to express their views in public as he admitted that he was also disappointed with the sale of Diangana.
West Ham are looking to raise funds so that they can strengthen in defensive areas and are still hopeful of agreeing a deal for Burnley defender James Tarkowski.
It will be worth keep an eye on the Noble, in particular, this evening.
Plenty of new blood about for Newcastle!
Andy Carroll and new signing Callum Wilson start together
It will be fascinating to see how these two play together. This COULD have the makings of a handy strike partnership.
Jamal Lewis also starts for Newcastle, while for West Ham Michail Antonio will continue in his striker role with Sebastian Haller on the bench.
Team news is in!
Good evening, ahead of tonight's match, Steve Bruce believes new signings have lifted the mood at Newcastle
Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce believes the signings of Callum Wilson, Ryan Fraser and Jamal Lewis have come at the right time and helped lift the mood at St James' Park ahead of their season-opener against West Ham United.
Newcastle spent around 35 million pounds to bring in Wilson and Lewis from Bournemouth and Norwich City respectively, while Fraser arrived on a free transfer.
"In the past you'd have liked to have the signings done before pre-season, but this year there's been no real pre-season as such," Bruce told reporters in a news conference.
"I'm delighted with what we've done, just at the right time. We've managed to bring four or five in, we've got one or two signed up as well and another couple in discussions so we're progressing.
"Hopefully, we can get it done and dusted before that scramble which always comes in about a month's time."
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has often come under fire for his lack of ambition in the transfer market and Bruce, 59, is glad Ashley is finally loosening the purse strings.
"Sometimes the manager needs a bit of help, certainly over the last week... with certain transfers he's had to flex his muscles, which was good to see," Bruce said.
"Newcastle always seem to be in a storm, and there is nothing like a few signings to lift the mood. Very quietly in amongst the storm, we have been trying to work our way through and when they get over the line... everybody is delighted."
For West Ham, David Moyes, who replaced Manuel Pellegrini midway through last season, rescued West Ham from relegation for the second time as they picked up 12 points from the last seven games to finish 16th and the Scot is determined to build on that progress.
"I think from coming back in January we've made great improvements... certainly the run-in to the season was very good and we're hoping those standards continue," he said.
It has been a quiet transfer window so far for West Ham but their England midfielder Declan Rice has been heavily linked with a move to big-spending Chelsea by British media.
Moyes, however, said the 21-year-old is a vital part of his squad and the club have received no offers for the player.
"It was always the plan that there was no intention to lose Declan Rice - we had no bids and no enquiries," he said.
"I wouldn't have wanted to lose him anyway - he's so important, a big part of the squad."
Reuters