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Newcastle manager Eddie Howe hailed one of the best games of his team’s season as they warmed up for the Carabao Cup final with a 1-0 victory over West Ham at the London Stadium.
Bruno Guimaraes stuck out a leg and turned home Harvey Barnes’ cross in the 63rd minute to score the game’s only goal and restore the visiting team’s interest in the race for the Champions League after three defeats in four in the league.
As well as a place back in the top six there was valuable momentum at stake ahead of Sunday’s meeting with Liverpool at Wembley, and but for a handful of brief moments in the first half where West Ham missed good chances, Newcastle were comfortably the better side.
“A massive win,” said Howe, who also saw his team knocked out of the FA Cup by Brighton last weekend.
“Not our best game but one of our best games of the season.
“It’s a difficult ground to play at, a difficult team to play against but we dug in, we were disciplined. We were everything defensively that we haven’t been in recent weeks.
“We defended our goal magnificently. We’ve had a challenging week and it was a brilliant response.”
Barnes twice went close in the first half, denied both times by goalkeeper Alphonse Areola who then made a sensational save to prevent defender Maximilian Kilman from putting the ball in his own net on the hour mark.
Moments later, he was helpless to prevent Guimaraes from scoring the winner as he reached Barnes’ cross to toe the ball home from close range.
“We needed the players to empty the tank, to give everything to win this game and show that we are still competitive and to give ourselves belief,” said Howe.
“You only truly get belief from winning. You can prepare as well as you can but the winning is the final missing piece.
“The most important thing for us is that we defended as a team and with heart, with structure and organisation. The attitude was there.”
Newcastle are looking to end a 70-year domestic trophy drought when they return to the capital on Sunday to try and upset Arne Slot’s runaway league leaders.
“Even if it is that kind of game against Liverpool, if we defend in the manner we did today, we know we’ve got the quality to score,” said Howe.
“Today was the perfect example.”
Hammers boss Graham Potter was unhappy that Newcastle’s goal was allowed to stand, with Alexander Isak appearing to push Kilman in the back as he sought to intercept Barnes’ cross.
“We think it’s clear,” said Potter, whose team stayed 16th. “It’s two hands on the back of the defender. You can see from how Isak celebrates, or doesn’t celebrate, that he thinks it’s a push.
“But the ones that matter don’t. That’s life and you have to get on with it.
“I feel for the players, they put such a lot into the game. It was a really committed performance.”
