Mohammed Kudus scored his first Premier League goal as West Ham struck late on to deny Newcastle all three points on Sunday.
The Magpies looked set to follow up Wednesday’s memorable 4-1 Champions League win over Paris St Germain with a hard-earned three points after Alexander Isak’s quick-fire double canceled out Tomas Soucek’s early opener.
Ghanaian winger Kudus, a £38m summer signing from Ajax, but played a full-time minute to earn the hosts a deserved point.
West Ham, who had a continental effort of their own against Freiburg in the Europa League on Thursday, took the lead with their first attack of the game.
Lucas Paqueta was the architect with an excellent chip to send Emerson Palmieri to the finish line.
The full-back tapped the ball past Nick Pope before unselfishly straightening it and tucking it into the empty Souček net.
Bruno Guimaraes, who signed a new contract at Newcastle this week, was lucky to escape an early red card when he blatantly tripped James Ward-Prows seconds after being booked for a foul on Emerson.
Newcastle, like many West Ham teams, dominated possession – they had 72 per cent in the first half – and yet all they had to show for it was Miguel Almiron’s 25-yard shot that flew wide and Dan Burn glanced the wrong way . side of the post.
After Paqueta’s star turn in the 2-1 win at Freiburg, David Moyes revealed that the Brazilian playmaker is “tearing his hair out” at times.
One such crazy moment came in first-half stoppage time when he tried one trick too many and was dispossessed in West Ham’s half, but Newcastle failed to capitalize as the home side eventually cleared their lines.
After the break Edson Alvarez, West Ham’s Mexican midfielder, was inches away from scoring his first goal for the club when he headed Ward-Prowse’s corner wide.
Newcastle eventually tested Hammers keeper Alphonse Areola, who made an incredible save to keep out Burn’s header from Isak’s cross.
But the visitors equalized moments later, Isak reacting quickest after Alvarez inadvertently headed Kieran Trippier’s free-kick across goal to fire home.
And within five minutes Newcastle were ahead when Trippier’s brilliantly subdued volleyed cross was tucked in by Isak from close range.
The Swedish striker came agonizingly close to a hat-trick when he rounded Areola but could only hit the post from a tight angle.
It proved costly when Kudus collected Vladimir Coufal’s 20-yard pass and slotted past Pope.
West Ham player ratings (4-2-3-1)
GK: Alphonse Areola – 6/10 – A handful of decent stops. His kicking was somewhat awry.
RB: Vladimir Coufal – 7/10 – Typically combative performance from the right-back, who also assisted Kudos as West Ham nicked a point.
CB: Kurt Zouma – 5/10 – A bit too sloppy in possession, only completing 60 per cent of his passes.
CB: Nayef Aguerd – 6/10 – Guilty of going to sleep when Isak pounced twice in quick succession.
LB: Emerson Palmieri – 6/10 – Cool and composed to grab an assist for Soucek’s strike and was later booked.
CM: Tomas Soucek – 7/10 – Got into the box to tap in an easy opener for West Ham.
CM: Edson Alvarez – 6/10 – The ball disappointingly ricocheted off him to Isak when Newcastle drew level.
RW: Jarrod Bowen – 7/10 – Looked threatening when West Ham countered quickly but his threat waned before nearly nicking the points at the end.
AM: James Ward-Prowse – 6/10 – Played a fair bit deeper than expected. Delivered some dangerous crosses but disappointed with some strikes from distance.
LW: Lucas Paqueta – 6/10 – Nice pass led to Soucek’s strike. Strangely won joint-game high of six headers alongside Lascelles.
ST: Michail Antonio – 6/10 – Helped unsettle Newcastle’s backline with persistent running but faded from the game.
Substitutes
Said Benrahma (76′ for Antonio) – 6/10
Mohammed Kudus (76′ for Soucek) – 7/10 – Great strike from the edge of the box earned West Ham a point.
Subs not used: Pablo Fornals, Maxwel Cornet, Danny Ings, Angelo Ogbonna,Thilo Kehrer, Divin Mubama, Joseph Tetteh Anag.
Manager
David Moyes – 7/10 – West Ham fell apart slightly in the second half but Moyes’ substitutions paid off with Kudos netting his first league goal for the club.
Newcastle player ratings (4-3-3)
GK: Nick Pope – 4/10 – Went a bit Bilbo Baggins on the hunt for adventure before Emerson rounded him easily and squared for Soucek. Decent save to deny Bowen in added time.
RB: Kieran Trippier – 8/10 – Given time and space to deliver dangerous crosses. His assist for Isak’s second goal showcased his technical brilliance.
CB: Jamaal Lascelles – 7/10 – Some rugged clearances at the back and improved after a bit of a sleepy start.
CB: Fabian Schar – 7/10 – Never got the chance to attempt a replica of his strike against PSG but used the ball efficiently and was solid enough.
LB: Dan Burn – 7/10 – His enormous height was again a threat in West Ham’s box, coming close to getting on the scoresheet once more.
CM: Sean Longstaff – 5/10 – Off his game in the first half, looking rushed and erratic in possession.
CM: Bruno Guimaraes – 6/10 – Lovely ball over the top to Trippier helped Newcastle go ahead. Couldn’t deliver many more moments of quality.
CM: Sandro Tonali – 6/10 – A bit guilty alongside Guimaraes and Longstaff of allowing West Ham too much space.
RW: Miguel Almiron – 4/10 – Didn’t show much attacking threat.
ST: Alexander Issak – 9/10 – Showed his poacher instincts to net twice, taking his league tally to six for the season. Looked dangerous when running in behind.
LW: Elliot Anderson – 6/10 – A few mazy dribbles caught the eye but Anderson did struggle to retain possession on occasion.
Substitutes
Jacob Murphy (82′ for Almiron – N/A
Callum Wilson (86′ for Isak) – N/A
Matt Targett (90′ for Anderson) – N/A
Manager
Eddie Howe – 6/10 – Newcastle struggled for fluency in the first half but got themselves into a winning position through Isak. They couldn’t see it out for a fourth league win on the trot, however.
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