West Ham United

Ciaran Kelly
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

'Belief' is the word Nuno Espirito Santo repeated before this game, but his players looked drained of it.

Where was the fight from the visitors? It was as if they did not realise the enormity of the dire situation they are in.

As much as St James' Park is historically a difficult place to go, this result was by no means a foregone conclusion.

Newcastle did not have anywhere near as much riding on this game, and Eddie Howe's side have had vulnerabilities of their own this season.

Yet, West Ham found themselves 2-0 down before they finally asked a question of goalkeeper Nick Pope.

No wonder the away end booed their side off at half-time. No wonder a number of supporters walked out after Newcastle went 3-0 up. No wonder those who stayed behind at full-time hissed: 'You're not fit to wear the shirt'.

West Ham are still technically a Premier League side, but a third straight league loss has left Nuno's side staring down the barrel.

Not only will West Ham need both Chelsea and Everton to beat Tottenham in the final week of the season, they will also have to take care of their own business by beating buoyant Leeds United on the final day.

That feels an almighty prospect right now.

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to Sky Sports following the defeat: "We had a big disadvantage because we conceded two goals, but the game wasn't lost. We tried to react, but the way we conceded was poor. Even though we tried to react, it wasn't enough. I saw the mistakes and the disorganisation of the team. We were too open, we were allowing Newcastle to play. It was a very difficult match for us.

"Maybe we prepared badly? Maybe we made mistakes? We have to look. If you look at the game, then probably yes [I got my team selection wrong]."

On whether he feels let down by his players: "No, let's look at the game. We started off poorly, we were soft. The way we conceded the first goal and second goal means everything is much harder.

"Let's try to finish the season with dignity and respect for the club. It is a hard week ahead of us, but we owe it to the club to try until the end. Of course I understand [the fans' anger].They are frustrated and disappointed with what they saw, and with reason.

"The way we started the game was really bad, but we have been trying to improve and get better. This was not a step forward. We have to realise our situation is very difficult, there is a lot of anxiety and nerves. These things don't help, but we have to take responsibility."

On the week ahead: "Let's wait until Tuesday. We have been in situations in recent weeks where you have chances to go [clear] and don't take it, then we expect what is happening in other games. It is possible, but it is difficult."

Mateus Fernandes has also been talking to Sky Sports: "The first 20 minutes was so painful for us. We have been training all week to do one thing, yet we arrived here and didn't do it. This week, we just needed to believe [in ourselves] and do our things. It is our [the players'] responsibility. We need to do much better.

"It needs to be us [the players' responsibility] always. Since the first day, it is the players who decide the games. Everyone needs to take responsibility for this moment and be a man. This is football.

"We need to be positive because we have one more game. It is one game that can change everything. We could've put pressure on Tottenham, but now it's difficult.

"Of course [I understand the fans' frustration at full-time]. We didn't play with full fight and spirit like we did against Arsenal. We missed everything - the fight, the energy, and every time we were late to the second balls.

"It is very hard to think about the future. We have one game that we have to try to win. It is difficult, anything can happen. Hopefully Tottenham lose against Chelsea, and then in the last match we go with everything. We have to believe."

Did you know?

• West Ham have lost three consecutive Premier League games for a third time this season (also in October and December). Before this current run of three successive defeats, the Hammers had lost just three of their previous 13 league matches (W6 D4).

• The Hammers in 2025-26 are just the third side in Premier League history to have two different goalkeepers (Mads Hermansen and Alphonse Areola) provide an assist in a single season, after Derby County in 1996-97 and Newcastle United in 2012-13.

The pressure is now at boiling point for West Ham United and Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Hammers could be relegated to the Championship - for the first time since 2010-11 - in just 51 hours' time.

Whether you were at St James' Park or you were following the match from elsewhere, we want to know your thoughts on the defeat.

Did the players show enough fight and belief? Were you expecting this result? Is relegation a done-deal now?

Let us know your post-match thoughts here

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Kieran Trippier makes his final start for Newcastle United at St James' Park against relegation-threatened West Ham.

The defender, who is leaving the club this summer, following the expiry of his contract, has been recalled for Newcastle's last home game of the campaign.

Jacob Ramsey and Harvey Barnes also come back in as head coach Eddie Howe makes three changes to the side who drew at Nottingham Forest last week.

Newcastle starting XI: Pope, Trippier, Thiaw, Botman, Hall, Guimaraes, Tonali, Barnes, Woltemade, Ramsey, Osula

Subs: Ramsdale, Wissa, Gordon, Elanga, J.Murphy, Willock, Burn, A.Murphy, Neave

Callum Wilson lines up against his former club as West Ham make one change for today's crucial trip to Tyneside.

The striker replaces Valentin Castellanos in the starting line-up as he returns to St James' for the first time since leaving the club last summer.

West Ham can move out of the relegation zone with a win this evening.

West Ham starting XI: Hermansen, Todibo, Mavropanos, Disasi, Wan-Bissaka, Soucek, Fernandes, Diouf, Bowen, Wilson, Summerville

Subs: Areola, Walker-Peters, Kilman, Taty, Pablo, Magassa, Scarles, Potts, Kante

There are six games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Manchester United v Nottingham Forest (12:30)

• Brentford v Crystal Palace - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Everton v Sunderland

• Leeds v Brighton - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Wolves v Fulham

• Newcastle v West Ham (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-offs 15:00 unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Leeds v Brighton" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Newcastle v West Ham", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

I don't feel sorry for West Ham after their defeat by Arsenal last week.

It was a foul on Gunners goalkeeper David Raya for their goal which was disallowed, and the fact they are in the relegation zone is because of the way they have played all season.

Now this is an enormous game for the Hammers, and it is an absolutely 'must-win' for them.

Newcastle were very poor when they lost at London Stadium in November and you wouldn't say they are in much better form at the moment.

Magpies boss Eddie Howe realises the importance of finishing the season strongly for his own future, and I don't see his side losing this.

West Ham will be absolutely desperate to get the win, but I am going for a draw and, if anyone does win it, it will be Newcastle.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

BBC Sport examines some of the key themes before Sunday's match (17:30 GMT), with West Ham needing a win to move out of the relegation zone.

Newcastle's draw at Nottingham Forest last weekend followed a frustratingly familiar script. Harvey Barnes' 74th-minute strike put them ahead at the City Ground but former Magpie Elliot Anderson equalised with just two minutes remaining.

Eddie Howe's team have now dropped 27 points from winning positions this term, at least seven more than any other Premier League side, while their total of 20 goals conceded from the 75th minute onwards is also the highest figure in the top flight.

Magpies' mediocre home form

This is Newcastle's final home game of the season and it appears increasingly doubtful the Toon Army will see reported Bayern Munich target Anthony Gordon in a black and white shirt again. Howe admitted on Friday that the winger is not being picked "with a partial view to the future".

The head coach also stressed it is important Newcastle "finish the season with a positive feeling". Strong home form has been the foundation of the Magpies' improvement under Howe but there has been a noticeable drop-off in the current campaign.

They are averaging 1.61 points per game at St James' Park, comfortably lower than in any of his previous full seasons in charge, losing seven times. The last time they lost as many as eight league matches at St James' Park was in 2020-21, under Steve Bruce.

Wasteful finishing hurting Hammers

West Ham felt aggrieved that VAR denied them an equaliser in Sunday's 1-0 defeat by Arsenal, with the Hammers finishing empty handed in a game they could conceivably have won. Mateus Fernandes missed a golden chance to put his side ahead in the 78th minute, with his close-range shot saved by David Raya.

As a result, they trail relegation rivals Tottenham by two points with two games remaining. But with Spurs' match against Chelsea not until Tuesday, Nuno Espirito Santo's side can move out of the relegation zone – and pile pressure on their London rivals – with a win on Tyneside.

The Hammers' form has picked up notably in the second half of the season but they continue to find goals hard to come by, failing to score in four of their previous six league games.

That includes each of their past three away matches, during which they have attempted 31 shots, hitting the woodwork four times.

The last time West Ham failed to score in four consecutive away league fixtures was 11 years ago. Coincidentally, the fourth game in that streak was a 2-0 defeat at Newcastle in May 2015.

The Hammers have to win to guarantee their fate is settled on the final day. Otherwise a midweek victory for Spurs would end their 14-year stay in the top flight.

Grace Wheeler
BBC Sport journalist

West Ham boss Nuno Espirito Santo has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Newcastle United at St James' Park (kick-off 17:30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• On team news: "We have Adama [Traore] out for the game but the rest of the squad is good. He has a muscle injury - he is recovering but he was not available for Arsenal and he'll miss this one."

• Asked if Callum Wilson will be given more game time, Nuno said he will "decide tomorrow, for the team".

• On the Hammers' penultimate game this season: "Every game is a new game. I believe you keep your approach and the values are the same from the first round to the last round. Everything is going to be decided by the two rounds. If I give a rousing speech in the first round, I will give it in the last round as well. It will be the same."

• On the mental aspect of Sunday's game: "We knew some while ago that it [the relegation battle] will be decided now [in the last games]. Our job is to focus and prepare our players and get them ready for Sunday. That is our priority. We are ready, we are positive and we believe."

• He added: "Every game is a must win and nothing has changed. The importance of the points is the same. I hope the players stay focused, do their task and ignore the outside noise. What I try to give our players is confidence."

• Asked about the complaint West Ham filed over their late equaliser being disallowed against Arsenal, Nuno said: "We tried to find some answers with things we are concerned about. I suppose we [Premier League clubs] all compare similar situations and this is why we need consistency. I don't have time to think about the changes and finding solutions is not my problem. The referees must understand the needs of solving this doubt. I believe the Premier League and the referees will solve it."

• He added: "The job of the referees is really hard and difficult. VAR was supposed to help the referees. Is it helping? Is it creating more questions? I believe they can do better."

You can listen to match commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live at 17:30 on Sunday

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Got a question about West Ham? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts

Three more video assistant referee errors have been confirmed by the Premier League's Key Match Incidents panel, taking the total this season to 23.

The panel has recorded three errors involving penalties, two of which should have been awarded for holding offences.

West Ham should have been given two spot-kicks in their 3-0 loss at Brentford - though one of the decisions was not considered to have reached the VAR threshold.

Keane Lewis-Potter held Tomas Soucek "in a clear non-footballing action which impacted the West Ham player's movement" and the panel unanimously felt the VAR Tony Harrington should have stepped in.

It was also felt referee Craig Pawson should have pointed to the spot in the 77th minute when Yehor Yarmolyuk slipped and brought down Pablo inside the area.

That was a split 3-2 vote for a spot-kick, but 4-1 against a VAR review.

• Read Dale's piece in full

Paris St-Germain are among the clubs interested in 21-year-old West Ham and Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes. (Athletic - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

BBC Sport football issues correspondent Dale Johnson has written this piece looking at how VAR has this week been involved in two big decisions in title races in both England and Scotland - and in the case of the Premier League, the relegation battle too.

So we asked supporters of clubs involved - including West Ham fan contributor Holly Turbutt - what it says about how VAR is working...

The VAR decision in the West Ham-Arsenal game has caused a huge debate among fans as to how useful this technology actually is in the Premier League.

We know it was introduced to stop those clear and obvious errors that we were seeing happening quite a lot with referees, but the problem is that it still comes down to human error and human decision-making, and you can't look at everything across the board.

That's where the frustration is coming.

We're seeing inconsistencies as fans. We're seeing four-minute checks when fans don't know whether to celebrate or not. We're seeing so many situations that don't get looked - or a situation that is given as a foul through VAR in one game, but not in another.

And you've also got the situation when, if a referee goes to the screen, 99% of the time it feels like they are going to change their mind.

All of this means VAR does not feel like the useful resource we hoped it might be when it was introduced.

Ultimately, VAR shines a spotlight on one moment but then it still comes down to a human decision in that moment, which is prone to human error and bound to cause debate among fans because it's such a pressured environment.

The question is: has it actually changed anything?

Find more from Holly Turbutt at West Ham Network, external

Premier League sides West Ham and Crystal Palace are keeping tabs on 21-year-old Pape Moussa Fall, a 6ft 6in Senegalese striker who is on loan at Belgian side RAAL La Louviere from Metz. (TeamTalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Premier League referees' chief Howard Webb has admitted that Everton should have been awarded a penalty in the 2-1 defeat at West Ham last month.

David Moyes' side trailed 1-0 in the 84th minute when Hammers midfielder Mateus Fernandes touched the ball with his hand during a tussle with Thierno Barry.

"He punched the ball," Moyes said after the game. "It would have been harsh, but I'm amazed they haven't given it."

The video assistant referee, Michael Salisbury, chose not to intervene as Fernandes "accidentally handled the ball while grappling with an opponent".

But Webb has said that the VAR made a mistake and should have advised a spot kick.

"From the outset, I want to say we think a penalty should've been awarded here against Fernandes," Webb said on Match Officials Mic'd Up.

"However, I don't think he really meant to deliberately handle the ball.

"He doesn't make himself unnaturally bigger here. He moves his arm forward. I think he's probably trying to prevent the attacker from turning him. But in doing that, he kind of bats the ball away.

"He can't even see the ball, but Fernandes knows more or less where the ball is, and it's a deliberate action with his arm, probably not to handle the ball, but to do something.

"And therefore, I think we've given Fernandes way too much benefit of the doubt here.

"In this situation, a penalty would've been the right outcome."

James Jones
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

It was hard not to feel defeated after West Ham's controversial home loss to Arsenal on Sunday.

Failing to take at least a point from that game meant Tottenham had a chance to put a four-point cushion between them and the bottom three with just two games to play, when they hosted Leeds on Monday night. That would've left zero room for error for West Ham at Newcastle on Sunday.

But Spurs' 1-1 draw on Monday night means there's still a lot of hope that the great escape is still on in east London.

Victory at St James' Park will guarantee a tense final day of the season, even if Spurs do manage to record only their second ever Premier League win at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea.

If it does go to the final day, then it's hard to look past West Ham winning. West Ham have just one loss from their last seven home games (W3, D3). In addition, with the fans in a similar voice as they were against the Gunners on Sunday and with Leeds having nothing to play for, Nuno Espirito Santo's side will be clear favourites.

If the gap is still two points, then of course West Ham will need former boss David Moyes to do them a favour by beating Spurs away with Everton. A draw won't do because West Ham's goal difference is considerably worse. But an Everton win isn't entirely out of the question, given they'll likely need a win for a chance of qualifying for Europe, while Spurs have just two home wins to their name all season.

Ideally, West Ham will need a win to guarantee survival on the final day, without needing Everton to get something at Spurs. If that's how it's set up, I back us to get the job done. If not, having to rely on results elsewhere is far from ideal.

Either way, this coming weekend is absolutely huge. West Ham could be relegated by Tuesday night, or they could be 90 minutes from Premier League survival.

Not sure my heart can take any more…

Find more from James Jones at We Are West Ham, external

Prudent Nsengiyumva
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

With two games left, the relegation fight between Tottenham and West Ham is on a knife edge - and their recent form tells two very different stories.

Tottenham have somewhat steadied themselves under Roberto de Zerbi. They are four games unbeaten (W2 D2), their longest run without defeat this season, and one that reflects a side finally showing some resilience after months of turbulence.

Their last unbeaten run of five matches came in December and January, a period that seems a long time ago now.

Momentum has rarely been Spurs' friend this year, but avoiding defeat at this stage is no small thing.

West Ham, by contrast, are sliding at the worst possible moment. Defeat at Newcastle would make it three losses on the bounce, something that has already happened twice under Nuno Espirito Santo - once in October and again in December.

When results dip, they tend to dip quickly, and the Hammers' season has been punctuated by damaging spells that have dragged them back into trouble.

Spurs still have their fate in their own hands, while West Ham's margin for error is shrinking fast. Over the next two defining games, survival may hinge on who holds their nerve.

Read the full story here

Manchester United have stepped up their interest in West Ham's Portugal midfielder Mateus Fernandes, 21. (Sky Sports), external

England forward Jarrod Bowen, 29, could remain with the Hammers even if they are relegated from the Premier League. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann has outlined his idea to improve how corners are officiated in future.

In the aftermath of weekend controversy over players grappling in the penalty area, he has told BBC Sport a rule whereby attacking players cannot enter the six-yard box until a corner has been taken would be his preference.

Ex-Premier League defender Nedum Onuoha backed the idea and thinks it will add "creativity" to corner kicks and the move would force "people to think in a different way".

You can watch a clip of the debate above, with Onuoha stating: "Twenty players standing in the six-yard box, you have to ask yourself, is that what you want to see? And is that the best version of the game?"

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