Newcastle defeated West Ham 3-1 at St. James' Park, with William Osula's two goals leading the home side to a commanding victory on May 17, 2026.
Newcastle arrived at St. James' Park in 13th place with 46 points from 36 matches. West Ham sat in 18th with just 36 points, struggling near the relegation zone. The visitors carried poor form into this encounter, having won just one of their last five games.
Newcastle struck early and decisively. Nick Woltemade opened the scoring in the 15th minute, firing past West Ham's defense to give the hosts an immediate advantage. The early goal set the tone for what would become a dominant first-half display.
Just four minutes later, Osula doubled Newcastle's lead in the 19th minute. The forward's clinical finish left West Ham's backline exposed. Newcastle controlled possession at 56 percent and created dangerous chances throughout the opening period.
West Ham struggled to find rhythm in the first half. The visitors managed eight shots on goal but only three found the target. Their passing accuracy sat at 83 percent, but they created limited clear-cut opportunities against Newcastle's organized defense.
The second half began with Newcastle still dominant. However, West Ham emerged with renewed intensity and threatened to reduce the deficit. Tomas Soucek received a yellow card in the 59th minute for a rash challenge as tensions rose.
Osula sealed the result in the 65th minute with his second goal. The Newcastle forward struck again to make it 3-0, appearing to have ended the contest. Osula finished with a perfect 2-for-2 shots on target and earned a match rating of 9.3.
Valentín Castellanos pulled one back for West Ham in the 69th minute. The away side's striker fired home to provide some consolation. Mouctar Diouf received a yellow card moments later as West Ham's frustration mounted.
Newcastle's Nick Pope made seven saves to secure a clean sheet until Castellanos' strike. Bruno Guimarães controlled the midfield with five tackles and a rating of 8.0. The home defense held firm despite West Ham's late pressure.
Statistically, Newcastle dominated the encounter. They recorded 15 total shots with 7 on target. West Ham managed 15 shots but only 8 reached the goalkeeper. Newcastle's expected goals stood at 1.7 compared to West Ham's 0.88.
The victory keeps Newcastle's top-flight status secure. West Ham's loss deepens their relegation concerns with just 36 points from 36 matches. The result leaves both sides with significant work ahead as the season concludes.
