
Tomas Soucek and Aaron Wan-Bissaka scored as West Ham secured an impressive win at Newcastle to ease the pressure on manager Julen Lopetegui.
The Spanish coach replaced David Moyes in the summer but had endured a difficult start with just three wins from the Hammers’ first 11 games.
But this eye-catching result will go a long way to providing hope to the club’s supporters that he is capable of turning things around.
Newcastle were the better side for large periods but fell behind when Soucek headed home from a corner in the first half.
Anthony Gordon should have equalised when he was gifted a shooting chance by a poor clearance from Jean-Clair Todibo, but fired straight at Lukasz Fabianski.
Alexander Isak also had a great opportunity to score just before the break when he was picked out unmarked inside the box by Bruno Guimaraes’ excellent ball, but he thundered his shot wide.
The visitors soaked up the pressure and got the crucial second eight minutes into the second half when Wan-Bissaka drove a shot in off the far post for his first West Ham goal.
The Hammers finished strongly to comfortably see out a win that moves them six points clear of the relegation zone. They are 14th and now just three points off the top 10.
A lifeline for Lopetegui
Former Spain, Real Madrid and Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Lopetegui was appointed in the summer as the club looked to move away from pragmatic football under Moyes to a more attacking style of play.
He was allowed to spend around £125m in the summer to reshape the Hammers squad but both the performances on the pitch and the results this season had been concerning.
A lack of goals had been their main issue, with West Ham among the lowest scorers in the Premier League prior to Monday’s game, but there were glimpses of promise in this display.
Bar a misjudged clearance by Todibo that should have resulted in Gordon equalising, they defended well and at times they attacked with pace and plenty of players getting forward, while they were clinical with their chances.
This result was all the more impressive considering the good run of form Newcastle had been on – they had beaten both Arsenal and Chelsea before the international break – but the challenge for West Ham now is to build on it.
Up next is a tough test at home to the Gunners but if they can carry on their momentum from this game then they may have turned a corner under Lopetegui.