3 Positives and 3 Negatives to take from West Ham 3 Newcastle 1

Saturday afternoon’s match ended West Ham 3 Newcastle 1.

Ahead of each match we ask one of our writers to come up with three positives and three negatives following the game.

Plenty to talk about after this one!

On this occasion it is ‘Matt Busby said to Joe Harvey…’:

POSITIVES

Murphy’s goal

A great goal by Jacob Murphy inside the first five minutes, his third of the season, as he continues to keep £55m Anthony Elanga out of the starting eleven.

Old Boy serenaded

After we had to endure those disgraceful want away tactics employed by Alexander Isak during the summer, it was great to hear the appreciation that the travelling toon army gave to another player that left us recently, when he was replaced by Thomas Soucek on the hour.

Callum Wilson spent five years at Gallowgate and left with our well wishes and his head held high, on the pitch when the final whistle sounded at Wembley in the League Cup Final last March.

Scoring 49 goals in 130 appearances for Newcastle United, had it not been for the various injuries Callum sustained in his time with us, those statistics would have undoubtedly been even better.

Bilbao up next

Okay, we’ve been embarrassed today.

But let’s not forget we’re in the UEFA Champions League and entertain Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday.

Looking forward to welcoming 3,000 Basques to the city for what proves to be a fabulous occasion.

NEGATIVES

No one in black and white leaves the London Stadium with any credit.

When we lose, I can usually pick out someone that can hold their head up. That wasn’t the case today. Not a single Newcastle United player can leave the London Stadium with any credit.

West Ham were there for the taking, having started the season so badly and languishing in the bottom three, their fans boycotting the stadium where they hadn’t won in more than eight months.

Then Newcastle United roll into town.

It used to be the case that anyone needing a pick me up couldn’t hope for a better fixture, but these days, we’re supposed to be a bit more resilient. That’s what I thought anyway.

Weak on the left

Big Dan Burn isn’t a left-back.

Bless him, he gives his all and you cannot fault the guy for the pride he has when pulling on the shirt.

Today he wasn’t helped by Anthony Gordon, who was shocking.

It’s tough when you’re up against someone like Bukayo Saka, but Aaron Wan-Bissaka? Do me a favour.

Anthony Gordon has gone on record saying it’s the big games that bring out the best in him. If that’s the case, and if it was down to me, I wouldn’t be starting him at Brentford next week.

Injury time blues

We’ve lost goals (and games) in the 96th and 100th minutes this season. Today saw us concede in the 5th minute of added time in the first half and the 7th minute of added time in the second half.

It’s a worrying trend and you’ve got to ask why. Is it fatigue, or loss of concentration, or something else? Whatever the reason, we need to stamp it out.

West Ham 3 Newcastle 1 – Sunday 2 November 2025 2pm

Match Stats

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Murphy 4

West Ham:

Paqueta 35, Botman OG 45+5, Soucek 90+7

Possession was Newcastle 62% West Ham 38%

Total shots were Newcastle 12 West Ham 15

Shots on target were Newcastle 4 West Ham 9

Corners were Newcastle 6 West Ham 7

Touches in the opposition box Newcastle 22 West Ham 21

Newcastle team v West Ham:

Pope, Krafth (Schar 45), Thiaw, Botman (Barnes 65), Burn, Bruno, Joelinton, Tonali, Gordon (Ramsey 46), Woltemade (Osula 46), Murphy (Elanga 77)

Subs:

Ramsdale, Hall, Willock, Miley