Even better for their beleaguered manager, Julen Lopetegui, a team inspired by standout performances from Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen exhibited the sort of ruthless precision strangely absent from Newcastle's game.
Expertly taken goals from Soucek and Aaron Wan-Bissaka reinforced Lopetegui's fragile job security, lifting West Ham to 14th, three points behind Eddie Howe's team, as Newcastle's hopes of Champions League qualification sustained a dent.
Before a potentially tenure-defining match, Lopetegui took time to revisit the bronze statue of Sir Bobby Robson that stands just outside St James' Park. During his days as a goalkeeper, West Ham's manager played under Robson at Barcelona and learned a lot from him.
Three decades on and with his team three points clear of the relegation zone at kick-off, Lopetegui desperately needed to coax the sort of performance Robson would have treasured from his West Ham players here. Although the east London club rarely change managers mid-season, there were strong suggestions that the former Spain coach's future hinged on his team's performance on Tyneside and then at home against Arsenal on Saturday.
This story is from the November 26, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
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This story is from the November 26, 2024 edition of The Guardian.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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