00:00There wasn't a lot of positivity following Newcastle United's 2-0 defeat at home to West
00:06Ham earlier in the week. Both the result and performance came as something of a surprise,
00:11given the recent wins against Arsenal and Nottingham Forest, which had seen the Magpies
00:15climb to 18 points in the Premier League. A win against West Ham would have seen them
00:20move to sixth place and only two points behind second-placed Manchester City.
00:26Newcastle had lacked fluidity and creativity against the Hammers and also conceded two
00:30goals which would not have pleased Eddie Howe from a defensive point of view. There was
00:35also concern over the fitness of captain Bruno Gimaraes and midfielder Joe Willock, who were
00:40both removed from the action due to knocks that they picked up during the game.
00:46Howe was quick to confirm that neither of the injuries were serious, and both players
00:50had a chance of featuring at Selhurst Park on Saturday. With regards to Gimaraes, Howe
00:55praised his strong mentality, noting the pressures of playing for Brazil and his leadership role
01:00at Newcastle, highlighting that a tricky encounter such as the loss against West Ham was a good
01:05test for him as skipper, a role that he assumed at the club during the summer off-season.
01:13Perhaps the only bright spot for Monday's defeat was the return of striker Callum Wilson,
01:18who has had to deal with several injury setbacks over the last few months. The substitute appearance
01:23against West Ham was his first action of any kind this season, which naturally has
01:28been a frustration not only for Howe and supporters in terms of team selection, but also for Wilson
01:33himself, who will no doubt have wanted to be involved in helping the team on the pitch.
01:39Howe acknowledged this and made clear of the striker's positive attitude in training and
01:44his desire to stay fit from now on. He also highlighted that Wilson's focus is on his
01:49current performances rather than his contract situation, which expires at the end of the
01:54season. The club certainly have a decision to make over Wilson's future, given his age
01:59and injury record, but also his goal contributions when he is fit and available to play.
02:06Finally, given how tight the Premier League is this season, the blow of losing against
02:11West Ham was not as profound as it could have been, and victory on Saturday would steady
02:16the ship after this wobble. Howe made clear that the fixture against the Eagles would
02:21be another test of Newcastle's mentality, and one that they must rise to in such a competitive
02:26league in order to regain the momentum that they had going into the West Ham fixture.
02:34A return to Europe is certainly a priority this season, with potential ramifications
02:39should they not qualify for any continental competition, of player sales and dissatisfaction
02:44amongst supporters. All of the talk around Newcastle with regards to them becoming an
02:49elite club must be followed up on the pitch to make clear their intentions, and to not
02:55get left behind.
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