Newcastle United’s goalscoring woes disappeared as they found their cutting edge to ease past a woeful West Ham and move four points clear of the Premier League relegation zone.
Steve Bruce’s side, who had scored once in their previous five games, led when Ciaran Clark lost his marker from a free-kick to head in the opener.
The visitors doubled their lead from another set-piece when Federico Fernandez outjumped Hammers keeper Roberto, who wandered off his line, to head into the empty net.
Newcastle had plenty more chances to extend their lead, finally grabbing a third when Jonjo Shelvey clipped in a precise free-kick after half-time.
West Ham pulled one back when Fabian Balbuena bundled in from close range and set up a grandstand finish through Robert Snodgrass’s neat effort in injury-time.
But a dramatic equaliser would have been unfair on Newcastle, who hung on to spark wild celebrations in the away end at the full-time whistle.
Newcastle’s problems have been laid bare over the first three months of the season, with supporters given little to cheer about by a toothless attack that had not scored more than once in any of their opening 10 Premier League games.
That all changed in a perfect away day for the Toon Army.
Bruce’s side was organised defensively and rarely threatened until the Hammers’ late fightback, while clinically punishing their opponents at the other end.
Even though the opening two goals came from set-pieces, Newcastle constantly caused panic in the home defence through their pacy counter-attacking and should have enjoyed a greater margin of victory at London Stadium.
French youngster Allan Saint-Maximin was a particular nuisance throughout, causing veteran Hammers full-back Pablo Zabaleta all sorts of problems with his speed and trickery.
Saint-Maximin, 22, started to stretch the home defence and twice could have extended the lead when he sprinted through on goal only to be denied by Hammers keeper Roberto on both occasions.
Brazilian striker Joelinton has been criticised for a lack of goals since his £40m move from German club Hoffenheim but teed up Clark’s opener with an unselfish header back across goal from Shelvey’s free-kick and worked hard throughout.
Paraguayan winger Miguel Almiron was also lively for the visitors, only to be again let down by his end product and spurning a chance late on to score a fourth and ease the pressure.
“If we’re being ultra-critical it could have been slightly better and a little easier,” Bruce told BBC Match of the Day.
“The first half was the best we’ve played since I came to the club.
“We were rock solid and plenty of chances. If we had taken them it could have been four or five.”
While the celebrating away end remained packed immediately after the final whistle, hordes of West Ham fans had already long left London Stadium in disappointment.
After a promising start to the season, the Hammers have slid down the table after five league matches without a win and are now only a point clear of Newcastle in 13th place.
Manuel Pellegrini’s side appears to have still not recovered from the scars of that humiliating League Cup defeat by League One side Oxford United which has proved to be the catalyst for this dismal run.
The Hammers lacked ideas in the final third of the pitch, unable to create any clear-cut chances from open play in a first half dominated by Newcastle.
The home fans began to show their frustration, notably after keeper Roberto should have stopped Shelvey’s free-kick from creeping in, and had already left in their droves before Balbuena and Snodgrass sparked a fightback which had looked unlikely over the previous 70 minutes.
Ultimately it came far too late and produced a final scoreline which did not truly reflect Newcastle’s superiority.
“It’s a bad result and it is a performance that isn’t West Ham like,” Hammers scorer Snodgrass told BBC Match of the Day.
“We need a reality check and need to know we need to start getting points on the board.
“We need to be solid and resolute, we could have been four or five down. We can’t give teams three goals start.”
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Source – BBC
