- Newcastle clinched a crucial 1-0 victory over West Ham, with Bruno Guimarães scoring the winner in the 63rd minute
- Harvey Barnes played a key role in the attack, constantly threatening West Ham’s defense before assisting the decisive goal
- The Magpies are now level on points with fifth-placed Manchester City (47), while West Ham remain in the relegation battle with 33 points
Key Takeaways:
Newcastle secured a vital 1-0 win away at West Ham in the 28th round of the Premier League, keeping their hopes for a top-four finish alive. Bruno Guimaraes was the match-winner, scoring the decisive goal in the 63rd minute. The visitors looked the better side from the opening minutes, creating the more dangerous chances. Harvey Barnes was particularly active, causing constant problems for West Ham’s defence. He had several shots saved by Alphonse Areola, keeping the hosts in the game.
West Ham also had opportunities, with Mohammed Kudus forcing Nick Pope into a fine save in the 30th minute. In the 61st minute, the Hammers nearly conceded an own goal when Max Kilman accidentally deflected a cross towards his own net, but Areola reacted quickly to prevent the ball from entering the net.
Just two minutes later, Newcastle finally broke the deadlock. Barnes first attempted a long-range shot that was blocked but quickly regained possession and sent a pinpoint cross into the box. Bruno Guimaraes met it perfectly from close range, firing home to give the Magpies the lead.
West Ham appealed for a penalty in the 70th minute after Jared Bowen was pushed from behind inside the box, but the referee saw no foul and waved play on. Newcastle successfully held onto their lead until the final whistle and now sit in sixth place with 47 points, level with Manchester City. Meanwhile, West Ham remain in danger near the bottom of the table, occupying 16th place with 33 points.