David Moyes with honest appraisal as grateful for a point against Newcastle United – Not so happy with referee

David Moyes watched on as his side were marginally the more threatening side in the first half, despite Newcastle dominating (71%) possession.

West Ham scoring with the only effort on target by either team before the break.

The second half though a very different story, NUFC still dominating possession but with more of a cutting edge, as a quickfire Isak double looked set to give Newcastle an overall deserved victory, which for sure would have been the outcome if the Sweden international had tucked his shot from a tight angle inside the post rather than hitting it, after rounding the keeper.

David Moyes a very relieved man as his team ended up with a point, Kudus scuffing his shot into the ground but luckily seeing it bounce again and end up in the bottom corner, giving Pope no chance with a minute to go.

David Moyes reflecting on West Ham 2 Newcastle 2:

“I’m pleased to get a point.

“For long periods in the second half Newcastle were the better team and we were struggling to contain them at times.

“I thought the substitutes today made a bit of a difference, especially Mo (Kudus) who gave us a different impetus and obviously then got us the equalizing goal as well, which helped us.

“I’m quite pleased with a lot of bits of the performance, especially in the first half when we got in front and we defended well when we needed to.

“But I think we played a top side and the level of some of the teams in the Premier League at the moment is really, really high and Newcastle are one of those teams.

“We hadn’t really had much of the ball leading up to the point of our first goal, but Emerson made a good run and went around the goalkeeper, so it was another great assist from him and Tomáš (Soucek) got into the box, which we wanted.

“I’m pleased for Tomáš as he is making a good contribution with his goals, as did Mo today who got his first one for us, which was great.

“We have played Tomáš a bit higher in the last couple of games to try and get him near the box. Today was tough because we couldn’t get enough crosses or balls near the edge of their box, but he made it and he got the goal.

“I felt it was a really good point today.

“The biggest part was after going 2-1 down, how we were going to go and if we were going to fold.

“They had a chance and we got away with it [when Isak hit the post] which could have obviously finished the game off, but it didn’t and we hung in there and were resilient.

“We had our moments and we got a bit from it when we played a bit better with the ball in the last 15 minutes, and Mo helped us in that situation, and we worked a goal, so we were pleased.

“We won last week against Sheffield United and we got a point today.

“I always knew in between the international breaks that we had four games which were Manchester City, Liverpool, Sheffield United and Newcastle, so it was always going to be hard to take too many points.

“In my head, I thought ‘if we can get four points from those games, that won’t be too bad’, but obviously I was hoping to get more.

“In between, we had a couple of cup wins as well, which helped, so I’m quite pleased with the way the last month has gone.”

David Moyes on the referee:

“It might have got away from us a wee bit but I wouldn’t blame them with the referee’s decisions.

“The free-kick that got the first goal back. I think on another day it wouldn’t have been given.

“I thought that was pretty harsh on us, as was the decision early on which could have been a second yellow card (for Bruno).

“I’m not going to say something to get me into trouble. I just think it was a really close call.”

Stats from BBC Sport:

West Ham 2 Newcastle 2 – Sunday 8 October 2pm

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Isak 57, 62

West Ham:

Soucek 8, Kudus 89

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Possession was West Ham 35% (29%)  Newcastle 65% (71%)

Total shots were West Ham 5 (1) Newcastle 10 (3)

Shots on target were West Ham 3 (1) Newcastle 3 (0)

Corners were West Ham 4 (1) Newcastle 2 (0)

Referee: Peter Bankes

Newcastle United:

Pope, Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Burn, Longstaff, Bruno, Tonali, Almiron (Murphy 82), Isak (Wilson 86), Anderson (Targett 90+3)

UNUSED SUBS:

Dubravka, Dummett, Ritchie, Manquillo, Hall, Livramento

(BBC Sport comments from ‘neutrals’ – Very interesting on Newcastle United after 2-2 against West Ham – Read HERE)

(West Ham 2 Newcastle 2 – Match ratings and comments on all of the NUFC players – Read HERE)

(West Ham 2 Newcastle 2 – Instant NUFC fan / writer reaction – Read HERE)

(West Ham 2 Newcastle 2 – Could (should?) have been all three points for Newcastle United – Read HERE)

Newcastle United upcoming matches:

Saturday 21 October 2023 – Newcastle v Crystal Palace (3pm)

Wednesday 25 October 2023 – Newcastle v Dortmund (8pm) TNT Sports

Saturday 28 October 2023 – Wolves v Newcastle (5.30pm) Sky Sports

Wednesday 1 November 2023 – Manchester United v Newcastle United (8.15pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 4 November 2023 – Newcastle v Arsenal (5.30pm) Sky Sports

Tuesday 7 November 2023 – Borussia Dortmund v Newcastle (5.45pm) TNT Sports

Saturday 11 November 2023 – Bournemouth v Newcastle (5.30pm) Sky Sports