Pandemonium unfolded at St James’ Park as Newcastle United pulled off a stunning 4-3 victory over West Ham, overturning a 3-1 deficit in the second half.
The match kicked off in favor of the hosts, with Alexander Isak converting a penalty to secure an early lead.
Yet, the Hammers swiftly equalized. This occurred shortly after Newcastle had to make an early substitution due to Jamaal Lascelles appearing to sustain a dead leg. Despite initially attempting to soldier on, Lascelles eventually signaled for a stretcher and was substituted just moments later.
Emil Krafth entered the field to take Lascelles’ place, prompting Tino Livramento to shift to left-back and Dan Burn to move into the center of defense. This reshuffle in the backline left players in unfamiliar positions, which played into Michail Antonio’s favor as he capitalized to equalize for the visitors.
Following an evenly contested half-hour, the visitors controversially netted their second goal. Despite Fabian Schar’s injury, referee Rob Jones permitted a swift free kick, allowing Mohammed Kudus to capitalize and beat Martin Dubravka.
Just moments into the second half, the Hammers extended their lead to 3-1 through Jarrod Bowen. Despite Newcastle’s corner kick, a rapid counter caught their defense off guard, leaving Bowen with a clear opportunity.
The chaotic afternoon persisted as Livramento succumbed to injury, prompting Eddie Howe to make a triple substitution, introducing Miguel Almiron, Lewis Hall, and Elliot Anderson for Livramento, Joe Willock, and Krafth, respectively. However, Almiron’s appearance was short-lived as he was swiftly substituted due to what seemed to be a hamstring injury.
Despite grappling with a series of injury setbacks, the Magpies exhibited resilience and surged during their most impressive phase of the game. Isak subsequently converted a second penalty, reigniting his team’s challenge.
The frenzy didn’t cease there, as Barnes swiftly leveled the score amid uproar at St James’ Park. Showing no signs of slowing down, the ex-Foxes player then unleashed a truly remarkable winner in the dying minutes of regular time to clinch the victory.
It was a whirlwind 90 minutes on Tyneside, a spectacle bound to be replayed countless times.
