A flying start for as Bruce’s tactics
NEWCASTLE United earned an excellent win over West Ham United to kick off the 2020/21 season in style as Callum Wilson and Jeff Hendrick scored debut goals.
On a balmy night in the capital, United competed hard against David Moyes’ side before showing their clinical side with two second-half goals to deliver three important points.
There may have been no fans to see it, but those watching back home could only have been impressed with the way Steve Bruce led his troops to victory at the London Stadium – and it even had Mike Ashley on his feet applauding at the end.
Former Man United skipper Bruce got his tactics right, though, and despite dropping Miguel Almiron to the bench, the decision would pay off in the later stages.
Bruce opened up the season with an old school 4-4-2 formation at the London Stadium with Andy Carroll and debutant Wilson leading the line.
Fellow new boy Hendrick started wide on the right – a position he’d grown tired of at Burnley – while Jamal Lewis opened up as a traditional full-back.
In the opening exchanges, Carroll was perhaps lucky to escape with nothing but a “calm down” from ref Stuart Attwell after an ugly challenge on Tomáš Soucek.
But United quickly found their way into the game in a football sense, and after Allan Saint-maximin had teased the home defence, the ball fell for Jamal Lewis who clipped in a left-wing cross for Callum Wilson – but his header on five minutes went wide.
A minute later Jonjo Shelvey rolled the ball to Wilson down the right, with the new striker forcing a corner.
Shelvey’s set-play was curled in for Federico Fernandez who headed at goal, but Lukasz Fabianski punched clear.
On 13 minutes, Isaac Hayden conceded a free kick and picked up a yellow card for a foul on Michail Antonio.
Mark Noble chipped the ball towards the Tomas Soucek with neither finding a way penalty area and Angelo Ogbonna and the past United keeper Karl Darlow. former Juventus man’s header clipped the Carroll had another good chance after crossbar after he beat Carroll in the air. flicking the ball over his marker, but a
With 21 minutes on the clock, Saint-maxdeflection prevented it being a near-perfect imin drove forward again to pick out Lewis moment on his return to the London Stadionce more.um.
The £15million man’s cross found Wilson West Ham struck the bar once again again, but he could not find a finish to through Pablo Fornals before a handball match the quality of the ball into the box. appeal on 36 minutes required a VAR check,
Newcastle won a free-kick 30 yards out but the Magpies escaped the danger. midway through the first half. Moments later, Saint-maximin broke
Shelvey – who scored from a similar forward on the counter-attack after Fornals range at the same end in the same fixture lost the ball but, after demonstrating his last season – stepped up, but his effort was electrifying pace, he could not pick out Wilcomfortably gathered by Fabianski. son and West Ham cleared the danger.
The Magpies then won a corner on 25 Four minutes before the break, Wilson minutes with Shelvey attempting to pick showed great feet before curling an effort at out Carroll – but the big striker’s header goal but it flashed just wide again. looped over the top. Newcastle went in for half-time after cre
However, the home side tried to respond ating nine chances but failing to manage an with chances from Michail Antonio and effort on target.
They started the second half with another opportunity as Wilson picked out Carroll at the back post, but West Ham cleared the danger and United wasted the resultant corner on 48 minutes.
Wilson made no mistake on 56 minutes though after great work from Javier Manquillo down the right.
The Spanish full-back dropped his shoulder before putting in a cross which Jeff Hendrick helped on for Wilson to apply a poacher’s finish, beating Fabianski and making it 1-0.
West Ham turned to Plan B on 66 minutes when they introduced Sebastien Haller and Andriy Yarmolenko to boost their offensive options.
Tempers flared as Antonio and Magpies coach Steve Agnew clashed near the technical area as the West Ham man tried to retrieve a loose ball.
The 6ft 3in former Auxerre star almost