Source: BBC Football
I almost could’ve taken anyone off – Howe on defeatImage source,Getty ImagesImage caption,Newcastle United’s last away league win came against Leicester City back in AprilByCiaran KellyNewcastle United reporter at London StadiumPublished2 November 2025301 CommentsWest Ham supporters were almost in disbelief.Their side had not long come from behind to go 2-1 up against Newcastle United when gallows humour swept across the London Stadium.”How bad must you be?” thousands of fans asked in unison as the first half drew to a close. “We’re winning at home!”The language was slightly stronger, of course, but for the first time in in nearly nine months, West Ham were on course for a home victory.Substitute Tomas Soucek made sure of that when he bundled in his side’s third goal in stoppage time.But Newcastle’s fate was already as good as sealed by then.To think this was a team fresh from three significant home victories in three different competitions against Tottenham, Fulham and Benfica.But Eddie Howe’s side have looked a different animal away from St James’ Park, failing to win an away league game since April.”Forget my name, it didn’t look like a Newcastle team we have seen in recent seasons,” the head coach said after Sunday’s 3-1 defeat.Premier League Review with Rick Edwards’I didn’t like the body language of the group’This was a result few saw coming.Struggling West Ham may have had an extended period to prepare for this game, but Newcastle have the luxury of a deep squad.Howe made six changes from the midweek win against Spurs and was able to recall heavyweight figures in Nick Pope, Sven Botman, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton, Jacob Murphy and Anthony Gordon.But you would not have known it.Though Newcastle players technically covered more distance – 116.85km in all – they did not look their usual intense selves after Murphy gave them an early lead.The visitors repeatedly gave the ball away. The midfield three, often lauded as one of the best in the league, failed to take control of the game. The hallmarks of this side – pace and power in all areas of the field – were absent.”I didn’t like the body language of the group,” Howe said.Goalkeeper Pope had to make big saves to deny both Lucas Paqueta and Max Kilman, before West Ham levelled, but those warnings failed to awaken Newcastle from their slumber.By the time Paqueta scored, an equaliser had long been coming.At home, Newcastle would have pushed for more after taking such an early lead. At London Stadium, they gave West Ham and the crowd encouragement by failing to kick on.Rather than turning on their side, before staging a sit-in protest against the board after the game, West Ham supporters instead sensed a way back into it.”The fans saw something from the team,” said West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo. “This is what we want. This is how we should look at the situation.”How can we as a team show to our fans that we want to fight, that we want to change the situation, that we want to make things tou…
Published: 2025-11-02T20:54:52
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