LAST UPDATE | 8 Oct 2023
MOHAMMED KUDUS climbed off the bench to score his first Premier League goal as West Ham snatched a 2-2 draw against Newcastle.
And there was more good news for the Hammers when manager David Moyes confirmed that Jarrod Bowen had signed a new long-term contract at the club.
“Jarrod has signed a new deal, which is great news for us here at West Ham,” said Moyes. “He’s done amazing since he’s been here. He continues to improve.
“If you think of his own development as an individual, he started off at Hereford, moved to Hull and now in the Premier League and getting a chance to be in the England squad. I think he’ll get better as well.”
Newcastle looked set to follow up their memorable 4-1 Champions League win over Paris St Germain on Wednesday with a hard-earned three points on the road after Alexander Isak’s quickfire double cancelled out Tomas Soucek’s early opener.
But Ghana winger Kudus, the £38million summer signing from Ajax, struck a minute from full-time to earn the hosts a deserved point.
West Ham, who had their own continental exertions in the Europa League against Freiburg on Thursday, took the lead with the first attack of the match.
Lucas Paqueta was the architect with an exquisite chip which sent Emerson Palmieri racing through on goal.
The full-back knocked the ball past Nick Pope before unselfishly squaring it for Soucek to tuck into an empty net.
Bruno Guimaraes, who signed a new contract at Newcastle this week, was lucky to escape an early red card when, seconds after being booked for fouling Emerson, he blatantly tripped James Ward-Prowse.
Newcastle finally tested Hammers keeper Alphonse Areola, who made an incredible save to keep out Burn’s header from Isak’s cross.
But moments later the visitors drew level, Isak reacting quickest after Edson Alvarez inadvertently headed Kieran Trippier’s free-kick back across goal and firing home.
And within five minutes Newcastle were leading when Trippier’s superb cushioned volley-cross was tucked away from close range by Isak.
The Sweden striker went agonisingly close to claiming a hat-trick when he rounded Areola but, from a tight angle, could only hit the post.
It proved costly when Kudus collected Vladimir Coufal’s pass 20 yards out and lashed the equaliser past Pope.
The Hammers almost won it in stoppage time but Said Benrahma was just unable to convert Bowen’s drive across goal.
In another of the 2pm kick-offs, Aston Villa missed the chance to climb into the top four after a 1-1 draw at Wolves.
And boss Gary O’Neil defused any tension after Unai Emery left without a handshake.
The Villa manager walked down the tunnel after Sunday’s 1-1 draw while O’Neil spoke to the fourth official at full time.
Pau Torres had quickly cancelled out Hwang Hee-Chan’s second-half opener as Villa missed the chance to move into the Premier League’s top four.
Ollie Watkins hit the post with the last touch of the game after Mario Lemina was dismissed in stoppage time for a second caution.
They remain fifth after a scrappy derby at Molineux while Wolves built on their 2-1 victory at Manchester City last week and O’Neil dismissed any issue with Emery.
He said: “It was a lot of nothing, I was moaning at the fourth about playing 114 minutes and Unai didn’t want to wait for the handshake so he went to walk down the tunnel. I just said: ‘No problem, go down the tunnel’.
“I’ve waited ages for people (managers in the past), I understand that they want to talk with the fourth official.
“My conversation with the fourth official was about eight seconds long so he wouldn’t have had to wait very long. But I understand if he doesn’t want to, no problem. I’ve got no problem with Unai at all.
