It was a decision that threatens to keep Nuno Espírito Santo awake for many nights to come. Why, oh why, West Ham’s manager will doubtless wonder, did he opt to start with a back three on Tyneside?
Instead of subduing Eddie Howe’s players it simply served to remind Nick Woltemade precisely why he is Newcastle’s record signing. By the 26th minute when Nuno scrapped that configuration for a much more effective back four, West Ham were 2-0 down and had one foot in the Championship.
Should Tottenham secure a point at Chelsea on Tuesday, the East London side’s vastly inferior goal difference all but ensures they will have no choice but to walk, reluctantly, through the second tier’s front door.
On an evening when Howe reassured those Newcastle supporters that wonder whether he really is the right man to remain in charge here next season, the cheers along Tottenham High Road must have been deafening.
West Ham’s only hope now is that Roberto De Zerbi’s side – currently two points ahead in 17th – lose their final two games while they win their concluding fixture at home to Leeds on Sunday. Otherwise it will be goodbye to the Premier League.
The long dreaded moment for Tynesiders to bid Kieran Trippier farewell had finally arrived. It is no exaggeration to say that the former England full-back ranks as one of the most important signings in Newcastle’s modern history and a giant banner in the East Stand duly declared: “Forever a legend. Thanks you for the memories.”
While Trippier will be a free agent next month, the future of Woltemade remains uncertain. Yet if Howe still appears unconvinced by the Germany forward, at least he started him in his preferred No 10 role behind Will Osula and Woltemade repaid such faith by scoring the first goal.
When Harvey Barnes intercepted a slapdash delivery from Mads Hermansen and clipped a cross over from the right Woltemade was perfectly placed to cushion an eight-yard volley beyond the visiting goalkeeper.
To say his first Premier League goal since February was greeted rapturously would be an understatement and, as Woltemade completed a celebratory knee slide, a quietly incandescent Nuno scowled at the technical area turf beneath his feet.
The West Ham manager’s mood deteriorated further when Osula fully silenced the choruses of “Forever blowing bubbles” from the away end courtesy of an accomplished sidefoot finish.
It was Osula’s fifth goal in the past eight league games; not bad for a player who began the season as Howe’s fourth-choice striker.
Significantly it arrived at the end of the sort of multi player one-touch pass move that has been all too conspicuous by its absence from Newcastle’s play this season.
Here though Trippier, Barnes, Bruno Guimarães and Jacob Ramsey combined to defence-destabilising effect as they revelled in emphasising that Nuno’s decision to deploy a back three had backfired spectacularly.
Howe has long been resistant to deviating from his beloved 4-3-3 system but the shift to 4-2-3-1 seemed to be bringing the very best out in Woltemade, Barnes and Ramsey.
Nuno though had seen enough of that trio’s slick manoeuvres between the lines. Rather than dig his team into an even deeper hole, the Portuguese responded by making an immediate switch from 3-4-2-1 to 4-4-2 with Jean-Clair Todibo replaced by Taty Castellanos, who joined Callum Wilson up front. A Castellanos volley swiftly forced Nick Pope into his first save of the evening – and it was a decent one too.
Wilson spent five years at St James’ Park before joining West Ham last summer. Howe admits that exit involved “a lot of pain” for both parties but, much as he professes to still love a striker he also coached at Bournemouth, Newcastle’s manager must have been delighted to see Sven Botman keep Wilson on a particularly tight leash.
When an inviting chance finally fell his way, Wilson could not quite connect with Crysencio Summerville’s fine cross. No matter; West Ham were improving considerably.
Early in the second half there was a standing ovation for Sandro Tonali as Newcastle’s widely coveted Italy midfielder trudged off injured. En route Tonali turned to applaud all four corners of the ground. St James’ Park season ticket holders will hope otherwise but it looked suspiciously like a farewell gesture.
Tomas Soucek was a little fortunate to avoid joining Tonali in making an early departure following an altercation with Guimarães that featured the West Ham midfielder kicking Newcastle’s captain as he lay on the ground.
Newcastle delighted in exerting revenge when Osula played a deft counterattacking one-two with Joe Willock, on for Tonali, that concluded with the Denmark Under-21 international scoring his second goal of the game.
By now Nuno’s very attack-minded substitutions dictated West Ham had five forwards on the pitch. When Castellanos subsequently spotted Pope off his line in the wake of Botman’s misjudgment of Hermansen’s kick, the striker hooked a gloriously acrobatic volley over the goalkeeper from almost 25 yards.
It was a wonderful goal but, with Jarrod Bowen shooting straight at Pope from a good position, it was too little too late to spark a revival.