Sunday’s clash at the London Stadium was pivotal for both West Ham and Newcastle—but for very different reasons.

Nuno Espirito Santo was still searching for his first win as Hammers manager and had yet to claim a home victory in the 2025/26 Premier League. Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, meanwhile, faced a side juggling Champions League commitments alongside domestic fixtures, struggling to find consistency.

Newcastle’s Fast Start
West Ham handed young Freddie Potts his first start, 24 years and 240 days after his father Steve’s final league appearance for the club and nearly 13 years since his brother Dan’s only Premier League start in January 2013.

West Ham looked positive early—Jarrod Bowen rattled the post after four minutes—but Newcastle struck immediately. Just 26 seconds later, Jacob Murphy fired home, marking Newcastle’s fastest league goal of the season. Historically, West Ham had lost all of their last 29 Premier League games after conceding first, the last victory coming in May 2024 against Luton.

West Ham Fight Back
Callum Wilson, starting only his second game for West Ham, tested the Newcastle defense in the 10th minute. With Freddie Potts, Lucas Paqueta, and Matheus Fernandes all completing at least 84.6% of their passes, West Ham gradually took control of midfield and the match.

Newcastle offered little after Murphy and Anthony Gordon’s early efforts, as West Ham’s attacking pressure intensified. Paqueta’s long-range strike forced a full-length save from Nick Pope, while Crysencio Summerville and Max Kilman kept the home crowd buzzing.

The breakthrough came in the 35th minute when Fernandes set up Paqueta to rifle home an equalizer—the Brazilian’s fifth Premier League goal from outside the box, behind only Mark Noble, Frank Lampard, Manuel Lanzini, and Paolo Di Canio in West Ham’s history.

Botman’s Own Goal Hands West Ham the Lead
Before halftime, Sven Botman inadvertently turned a cross into his own net, giving West Ham a 2-1 lead. It marked the first time Newcastle had trailed at the break in a Premier League match after scoring first since March 2024, ironically also against West Ham.

Newcastle’s defensive performance was underwhelming, with only four players recording two tackles each and the team winning less than half of their one-on-one duels.

West Ham Hold Firm
Bowen remained a constant threat, with his intelligent movement occupying Newcastle’s back four. Despite Newcastle holding 76% possession in the first hour, they rarely troubled West Ham, with William Osula and Murphy missing their chances.

El Hadji Malick Diouf delivered a standout performance at left-back, winning nine of 11 duels and helping keep the visitors at bay. Harvey Barnes’ 88th-minute shot drifted wide, leaving Newcastle without a shot on target since the 39th minute.

Soucek Seals the Win
Sandro Tonali completed 90 passes, showcasing his efforts to control the game, though Newcastle struggled with accuracy, completing just one of 24 crosses. Injury-time drama saw Osula test the West Ham goal, but a counter-attack ended with Tomas Soucek bundling in the third, sealing a 3-1 victory.

Newcastle could take solace in superior possession, passing volume, and accuracy, but it was West Ham’s determination and clinical finishing that earned them their first home win of the season.