Mayhem and mistakes as Toon win thriller
Barnes the hero, Phillips the villain in tale of two subs
HERE was an outrageous game of many things, but the story of two impact subs perhaps best cuts through the mayhem. Harvey Barnes and Kalvin Phillips. When they arrived within two minutes of each other midway through the second half, West Ham were leading 3-1 and looked comfortable.
What followed was uncomfortable in the extreme for Phillips and, more so, the manager who brought him on, David Moyes. The England midfielder — soon to be former international, on this evidence — certainly made an impact. He gave away a penalty for 2-3, was not close enough to creator Alexander Isak for 3-3 and was turned far too easily by scorer Barnes for 4-3 in the 90th minute. The roof would have caved in on Phillips had it not been sent into orbit by the home supporters.
Match-winner Barnes also netted the equaliser and, like Moyes, Eddie Howe’s substitution had changed the game, even if it was enforced when Miguel Almiron was injured 10 minutes after coming on. But credit is due for his earlier changes, Elliot Anderson and Lewis Hall entering at 1-3 and immediately injecting energy and forward purpose. By attacking, it meant Newcastle did not have to defend, and that is a smart tactic for them right now.
Moyes responded. On 69 minutes, he introduced Phillips at the expense of forward Michail
Antonio, who had been excellent, a nuisance throughout. He scored West Ham’s equaliser in the 21st minute — they trailed to Isak’s early penalty — when he finished with force from Lucas Paqueta’s delicate ball over the top.
Newcastle’s defenders, then, were relieved to see the back of Antonio. By contrast, their forward players were thrilled to see Phillips. Newcastle’s recruitment this season has not been great, but the decision to abandon their interest in the Manchester City outcast in January was a shrewd one. At least he contributed to a Newcastle victory here.
Moyes did not refer to Phillips by name afterwards, instead talking repeatedly about ‘the change’. The change, just as much as those of Newcastle, changed the game. It could also change the respective seasons of two rival clubs competing for European places beyond the Champions League.
It could yet change the future of the managers, too. This was significant for Howe, who was booked for the first time in his managerial career when sprinting down the touchline following the goal that would prove the winner.
This has been a bruising season for Newcastle and their boss, and a few more blows would no doubt have landed had they lost for a 13th time, especially given the calamity of their defending in falling behind.
He was, then, happy to accept a yellow card. Moments later and his winger Anthony Gordon was receiving a red, picking up a second booking for time-wasting. He will miss Tuesday’s visit of former club Everton, but that disappointment was lost amid the euphoria of the finish.
Gordon was up against England team-mate Jarrod Bowen, and both enhanced their Euros credentials. The former won two penalties from which Isak converted and, at the death, it was his muscle to get the better of Kurt Zouma and neat lay-off to Barnes that presented the chance for the winning goal.
There was still work to be done, but Barnes made light work of Phillips, stepping away from his opponent before lashing beyond the reach of Lukasz Fabianski from 20 yards. Seven minutes earlier he had finished through the legs of the keeper having been sprung clear by Isak.
The goal that signalled the start of the comeback came in the 77th minute, when Gordon nicked ahead of Phillips and the sub’s clumsy leg felled the Newcastle man in the area.
From that point on there was an inevitability to the scoreline being reversed, such was the home momentum and noise inside St James’ Park. If Moyes was screaming in despair on the touchline, you would not have heard it.
His team looked set for victory when, in first-half injury time, the outstanding Mohammed Kudus lashed in from Bowen’s pull-back.
Then, two minutes into the second half, Kudus skipped down the left and freed Bowen, all alone in the centre of the pitch. His finish was never in doubt — his 19th goal of the season — and the forward did not deserve to end up on the losing side.
He did so because of a massive miscalculation by his management team, and it was telling when he refused to slap hands with Hammers coach Kevin Nolan after full-time. The change had changed everything.