Newcastle United began their 2020/21 Premier League campaign on a good note after defeating West Ham United by two goals to nil on Saturday.
Callum Wilson and Jeff Hendrick who both arrived at Newcastle in the current transfer market were handed their debuts over the weekend, taking full advantage of the opportunity.
Both players scored in the second half to ensure that the Magpies heaped an early season pressure on David Moyes’ team at the London Stadium.
Wilson was a threat throughout the clash at the London Stadium and got his just rewards on 56 minutes when he powered into the net fellow debutant Hendrick’s flick ahead of Hammers goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to bundle the Magpies’ opener home.
The goal also meant that the England international has now scored eight goals in nine appearances against West Ham.
The encounter looked certain to end with just the 1-0 scoreline heading into the final five minutes of the match but Hendrick made sure, adding a goal to his assist with an emphatic drive into the roof of the net four minutes from time to send Newcastle just goals behind Arsenal who currently are first on the league.
On the path of Steve Bruce’s side, this is the first time in eight years that the club have made a winning start to a league season.
Having had a quiet transfer business so far this summer, West Ham needed to come up with a convincing performance in their Premier League opener but the display against Newcastle was far from telling the story of the Hammers.
The home team had many chances to take the lead in the game on Saturday but failed to convert their chances. First, an Angelo Ogbonna header came off the crossbar before Jamaal Lascelles deflected a strike from Pablo Fornals onto the woodwork.
West Ham will have to ensure swift deals in the market if they are to stand a chance of overcoming their opening day defeat, with a game against Arsenal next in line next weekend.
