Howe fumes at 'unrecognisable' Newcastle after defeat at West Ham
Newcastle United’s away struggles in the Premier League continued with a 3-1 loss against West Ham at London Stadium. Eddie Howe admitted his side’s display was “unrecognisable” as their early advantage quickly faded.
Jacob Murphy put the visitors ahead in the fourth minute, but West Ham equalised before halftime when Lucas Paquetá’s long-range strike slipped under Nick Pope. Shortly after, Sven Botman turned Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s cross into his own net, giving the hosts the lead.
In the second half, Newcastle rarely threatened, managing only one shot on target — a weak header from William Osula in the final minutes. Their defeat was sealed deep into stoppage time when Jarrod Bowen’s counterattack ended with Tomas Soucek sliding the ball into the net.
“I can't really defend the performance, it was really disappointing after that start. I thought we could control the game, but we didn't,” said Howe. “We let West Ham in with some uncharacteristic errors. Collectively, we were off today and you could see that.”
“We are hugely disappointed and frustrated with ourselves because we've missed a huge opportunity for back-to-back wins. The feel of the team was wrong. We were lacking in physicality today. I have to go away and reflect on it.”
Author’s Summary
Newcastle’s promising start faded into disarray in London, leaving Eddie Howe frustrated by his team’s uncharacteristic mistakes and lack of intensity.