For a manager of Rafael Benítez’s pragmatism, it is unlikely that this barmy game fitted into his vision of how football should be played. Sometimes, however, there is nothing better than winning messily and even Benítez could put his control-freakery to one side after seeing Newcastle United end their long barren run.
This was their first victory in 10 matches, lifting them up three places from 18th, ensuring that they avoided spending Christmas Day in the bottom three for the first time in Premier League history. Newcastle rode their luck at times, with Rob Eliott’s save from Andre Ayew’s tame penalty coming at a crucial point in the match, but it was difficult to argue that they were not deserving winners.
Benítez’s side demonstrated their character after falling behind to Marko Arnautovic’s early opener, hitting back with goals from Henri Saivet, Mohamed Diame and Christian Atsu, and they were more fluent than West Ham United, whose recent revival under David Moyes came to an end.
Meetings between teams battling against relegation can often be tough to watch when nerves and tension weigh the spectacle down. This one, however, did not fall into that category. A lack of quality and cohesiveness had an anarchic effect, making both teams ragged, and it was impossible to complain about a shortage of excitement.
Of course, that must have been alarming for Moyes and Benítez. It is unlikely that either manager intended to preside over such an open and shapeless contest, yet they were both powerless to stop their edgy players from making individual and tactical errors.
All the two men on the touchline could do was embrace the madness that began when Saivet, making his first Premier League start of the season, inexplicably sent a simple pass straight to Arnautovic in the sixth minute. Arnautovic had enviable space as he burst forward from the halfway line, with Ciaran Clark hopelessly exposed, and the Austrian displayed his newfound confidence by swerving to the centre-back’s right before clipping a fine shot past Eliott
Yet West Ham were unable to build on Arnautovic’s third goal in his past four games. Instead, Newcastle shook their heads clear and Saivet, who was having an eventful start, equalised four minutes later. The cumbersome Winston Reid was penalised for catching Atsu with a high boot and Saivet took advantage of West Ham’s questionable wall by whipping a low free-kick beyond Adrian, who was slow to react.
The chances kept coming. Michail Antonio missed the target with two free headers, sending one over from Aaron Cresswell’s corner and the other badly wide from Arnautovic’s inviting cross, while Arthur Masuaku tested Elliot with a low effort from 25 yards. Yet West Ham struggled for balance in midfield without Manuel Lanzini, who was serving the last match of his retrospective ban for diving to win a penalty in last weekend’s victory over Stoke City, and Newcastle could certainly feel aggrieved not to be ahead at the interval.
Deandre Yedlin was a menace for the visitors, surging forward from right back to link inventively with Matt Ritchie, and that combination caused plenty of problems for West Ham. Ritchie bent a curling shot against the post from 20 yards and the winger also created two excellent opportunities for Dwight Gayle, who crashed one against the bar before wastefully scooping the other over.
Gayle’s profligacy threatened to undermine Newcastle and Arnautovic came close to restoring West Ham’s lead shortly after half-time, whipping a shot inches wide from 18 yards. Yet Benítez’s side were playing with impressive belief and the second goal that they had been threatening arrived in the 53rd minute. Atsu skipped past Pablo Zabaleta, nutmegging the defender for good measure, and his cutback found Diame, whose finish against his former side was emphatic.
Then came a moment of controversy, Antonio latching on to a loose ball and powering towards Newcastle’s area. Clark lunged to bring the forward down and Lee Mason, the referee, initially awarded a free-kick, only to point to the spot on the advice of his assistant. Ayew’s penalty, however, was lamentably casual and Elliot made a straightforward save.
How West Ham must have wished that Mark Noble had been to take it. Instead of finding themselves level, they were still chasing the game and Newcastle knew that they would opportunities on the break. So it proved when they broke from a West Ham corner, slicing through the home team’s wheezing back three at will, Joselu teeing up Atsu to beat Adrian from close range.
More drama was on the way, though. West Ham refused to lie down and Ayew made up for his earlier complacency when he pounced after a corner caused confusion in the Newcastle area in the 69th minute.
West Ham had time to rescue themselves and they subjected Newcastle to a late aerial bombardment after introducing Andy Carroll. Pedro Obiang’s fierce shot flew over, though, and the noisy travelling supporters finally had something of substance to celebrate.
