Dimitri Payet scored in both halves to give West Ham a 2-0 victory that leaves Newcastle winless from five Premier League games.
By Lyall Thomas
The France attacker steered home a superb opener on nine minutes before firing in his second from close-range after Victor Moses had hit the bar three minutes into the second half.
The hosts looked in firm control for the majority of the game and Newcastle’s chances were scant, with right-back Daryl Janmaat going closest when he forced Darren Randolph to save in the first half.
Dimitri Payet (middle) scored both goals as West Ham beat Newcastle
And Slaven Bilic’s side had enough control to hand Andy Carroll a late return to action after eight months out with a knee injury.
But there was little comfort for Newcastle boss Steve McClaren, whose side arrived at Upton Park less than 50 minutes before kick-off, and seemed to be affected by the delay.
Newcastle’s players and staff had to walk the final leg of their journey after traffic prevented their bus getting close to the ground, and they did not look ready when Payet fired the Hammers into the lead.
Captain Mark Noble stole in-front of his marker before laying the ball off to Payet on the edge of the penalty area, and he curled home skilfully into the top corner.
The summer signing from Marseille ran the show in the first half, and he poked wide from a pass from Moses, who was also excellent on his debut, on 18 minutes.
At the other end, Janmaat was as surprised as anyone to find himself one-on-one with Randolph after a heavy touch from Vurnon Anita beat West Ham’s back-line, but the Hammers keeper got down low to stop the shot.
Manuel Lanzini and Moses both shot wide of the target and the Hammers remained unfazed by the loss of defender Angelo Ogbonna, who was replaced by Carl Jenkinson before half-time.
After the break, Moses did brilliantly to shrug off defenders and latch onto a long clearance up-field before curling an effort against the woodwork, with Payet on hand to punt home on 48 minutes.
Payet doubled West Ham’s lead shortly after half-time
McClaren reacted by sending on two strikers in Ayoze Perez and Siem de Jong, but both were ineffective as Randolph was tested only once by the latter when he tipped over a deflected shot late on.
Carroll emerged with a gleeful smile and to a rapturous applause on 87 minutes, and he came through the remaining moments unscathed having not played since February 11.
Player ratings
West Ham: Randolph (7), Tomkins (7), Reid (7), Ogbonna (6), Cresswell (7), Noble (8), Kouyate (7), Moses (8), Payet (8), Lanzini 6, Sakho 7
Subs used: Jenkinson (7), Carroll (6)
Newcastle: Krul (6), Janmaat (7), Mbemba (6), Coloccini (6), Haidara (6), Colback (7), Anita (6), Sissoko (6), Wijnaldum (6), Thauvin (5), Cisse (5)
Subs used: Aarons (5), De Jong (6), Perez (5)
Man of the Match: Dimitri Payet
Source Skysports
