Harvey Barnes at the double as Newcastle hit back to beat West Ham in a thriller
Harvey Barnes came off the bench to fire Newcastle to a remarkable Premier League victory over West Ham as they fought back from two goals down to snatch the points.
The Magpies, who led through Alexander Isak’s sixth-minute penalty, trailed 3-1 with just 13 minutes remaining after Michail Anthony, Mohammed Kudus and Jarrod Bowen had struck in an incident-packed contest during which referee Rob Jones was at the centre of the action throughout.
However, a second Isak penalty reduced the deficit before Barnes levelled with seven minutes remaining to set up a grandstand finish during which he secured a 4-3 win with a stunning 90th-minute strike, before Anthony Gordon was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Eddie Howe’s men, whose injury problems deepened as they lost skipper Jamaal Lascelles, Tino Livramento and substitute Miguel Almiron, were rewarded for their resilience on a chaotic afternoon, but opposite number David Moyes, who was booked as tempers frayed, was scarcely able to believe what he had seen.
Newcastle could hardly have got off to a better start when they were awarded a penalty for Vladimir Coufal’s clumsy challenge on Gordon after the defender’s pass forward had been picked off by Fabian Schar and the former Everton frontman had carved his way into the area.
Jones pointed to the spot, but Isak had to await the outcome of a VAR check for offside against Gordon before sending keeper Alphonse Areola the wrong way from the spot.
Seconds after Lascelles’ premature departure, Michael Antonio fired a warning shot across Newcastle’s bows when he turned Dan Burn, who had been pushed into central defence as Livramento took over at left-back to accommodate substitute Emil Krafth on the right, but fired over with the Hammers looking the more threatening.
They duly forced their way back into the game with 21 minutes gone when Lucas Paqueta picked out Antonio’s run and he drew keeper Martin Dubravka before finishing emphatically.
Gordon fired straight at Areola after cutting inside from the left and then headed wide from Jacob Murphy’s teasing 36th-minute cross, but it was Bruno Guimaraes who went close deep into first-half stoppage time when his curling attempt came back off the crossbar with Areola beaten.
However, the Hammers went ahead in the 10th minute of added time when, with Schar down, Paqueta was allowed to take a quick free-kick to Bowen, who fed Mohammed Kudus to fire past Dubravka amid furious protests from the home side.
Lukasz Fabianski replaced Areola before the restart and saw his side extend their advantage within three minutes when, after Thomas Soucek had got his head to Murphy’s corner, Kudus evaded Schar’s lunge and squared for Bowen to race from halfway and beat Dubravka despite Gordon’s valiant efforts to get back.
Fabianski easily claimed Guimaraes clipped shot and both Isak and Sean Longstaff stabbed horribly wide as the home side sought a way back into the game before the keeper denied Barnes.
However, Newcastle were awarded a second penalty after a VAR check on substitute Kalvin Phillips’ challenge on Gordon and Isak sent Fabianski the wrong way with an identical spot-kick to give his side hope with 13 minutes remaining.
They were level within six minutes when the Sweden international played Barnes through and he fired between Fabianski’s legs, and there was more to come in the final minute of normal time when Gordon, who was later dismissed after kicking the ball away, fed Barnes and he stepped inside before drilling an unstoppable shot beyond Fabianski’s despairing dive.
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Eddie Nketiah makes 'tough' confession about Arsenal striker role
Eddie Nketiah says his striker role at Arsenal is 'tough'
The 24-year-old has scored five Premier League goals this season
Arsenal currently sit at the top of the league table
By Katie Catherall
12:05 PM GMT
Nketiah says playing for Arsenal is 'tough'
Nketiah says playing for Arsenal is 'tough' / Harriet Lander/Copa/GettyImages
Eddie Nketiah says his striker role at Arsenal is "tough" as the Gunners compete to become Premier League champions.
The 24-year-old entered the season as Arsenal's second-choice number nine but has not started a single game in 2024 due to the team's abundance of talent in forward positions, with summer signing Kai Havertz enjoying a fruitful spell in the team.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Nketiah opened up about his struggles within the team and the expectations set.
"It's a tough role, but something I enjoy playing," he said. "I think it all depends on the type of game and what the manager wants, where the spaces will be. You can have good days and bad days, but I try to give my best to help the team every time I step out there.
"Mikel is always demanding and pushing us to be the best versions of ourselves. I'm at a stage in my career where I'm comfortable dropping deeper, coming to feet and arriving in goal-scoring positions – but also being on the shoulder of the last man because I can get in behind to threaten defences."
Mikel Arteta
Arteta will hope to earn silverware this season / Marc Atkins/GettyImages
Arsenal are currently enjoying a successful season in both the Premier League and Champions League, pushing to earn silverware in both competitions.
On the possibility of being crowned champions this season, Nketiah said: "We came close last year and we know what it is like to be involved in it so that experience is going to do us well.
"Every player that's joined has added something in their own way. All the players that were here before have developed and improved and got more experience based off last season. We're taking one game at a time but we’re in a good place and we’re really hungry [to win] and do something for the fans."
Arsenal's next fixture comes against Manchester City on Sunday, a game that could decide who will lift the league trophy this season.
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