West Ham slump to Newcastle defeat on opening day as Callum Wilson and Jeff Hendrick strike on debut

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Giuseppe Muro12 September 2020

Callum Wilson was the scourge of West Ham again as he scored on his Newcastle debut to help make it a nightmare start to the new season for the Hammers.

Wilson, a £20million summer signing from Bournemouth, netted his eighth goal in nine Premier League matches against West Ham and another Newcastle new boy in Jeff Hendrick added a second late on.

West Ham were really poor on a difficult night for David Moyes and this defeat only adds to the feeling of negativity at the London Stadium.

Owners David Gold and David Sullivan are under fire and the situation is worrying because West Ham now face a horrible run of fixtures.

They face six of last season's top eight in their next six games and that run includes matches at Arsenal, Leicester, Liverpool and Tottenham.

West Ham were furious at being denied a penalty by referee Stuart Attwell at 1-0 when Hendrick blocked a shot from Sebastien Haller with his arm.

But in truth they did not deserve anything from a flat performance.

It has been a difficult week for West Ham since captain Mark Noble tweeted that he was “gutted, angry and sad” about the sale of Grady Diangana to West Brom.

Moyes is still waiting for new signings to arrive, West Ham fans have feared their team face a fight to stay up this season and, on this evidence, it could be a really struggle to survive.

There was no Jack Wilshere in the West Ham squad, amid reports the club are trying to negotiate a termination of his £100,000-a-week contract.

Andy Carroll was back at West Ham with Newcastle and the striker was fortunate not to be sent off in the opening 30 seconds when he clattered Tomas Soucek with an elbow as the pair jumped for a header. VAR checked the incident but Carroll escaped punishment.

Newcastle were the better team for most of a goalless first half but, despite being second best, West Ham still created five good chances in the opening 45 minutes.

Angelo Ogbonna hit the bar from a corner, Michail Antonio shot straight at Karl Darlow when he should have done better and Soucek headed wide.

Jonjo Shelvey hit the side netting at the other end and Carroll then saw a shot deflected over as the game really opened up as the half wore on.

Pablo Fornals rattled the woodwork again, Jarrod Bowen fired over and the dangerous Wilson then curled a shot just over for Newcastle with the final chance of the half.

Wilson was looking a real threat and he put Newcastle ahead 11 minutes into the second half when he was alive in the box to poke home from a few yards out.

West Ham were flat and Newcastle were in control after they went ahead.

But West Ham had huge shouts for a penalty when a goalbound shot from substitute Haller hit Hendrick’s arm on the line.

Referee Attwell waved after protests and Moyes was furious that VAR did not intervene. Hendrick’s arm was down by his side but it stopped a certain goal.

Hendrick then sealed the win for Newcastle with four minutes to go.

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