Match-winner Harvey Barnes hopes there’s more to come after making a belated start to the season in spectacular style as Newcastle secured a remarkable victory over West Ham.
The Magpies were losing 3-1 to the Hammers at St James’ Park on Saturday when £38m summer signing Barnes was sent off for just his 14th appearance of an injury-riddled campaign.
He ultimately left the pitch to rapturous applause after scoring an equalizer and a stunning late winner, dooming the Hammers to a 4-3 defeat on an afternoon that may live long within the memory of those that witnessed it.
The 26-year-old told NUFC TV: “Obviously it was a difficult season for me. Playing time is limited by injury and when I’m on the pitch I just want to do everything I can to help the team score points and those goals in moments like that are indescribable
“This is what I missed so much during my injury. I hope there will be many more of them this year, but for today I will just cherish this moment.
Barnes’ thrilling performance sealed a Premier League campaign that was eventful from the first to the last minute.
The game was just six minutes old when Alexander Isak sent goalkeeper Alphonse Areola the wrong way in the penalty area after Vladimir Coufal tripped Anthony Gordon, but the Magpies found themselves behind after the break after Michail Antonio equalized and then the outstanding Mohammed Kudus scored and the visitors were leading after a quickly taken free kick by Lucas Paqueta.
When Jarrod Bowen made it 3-1 three minutes after the restart, Newcastle, who had lost captain Jamaal Lascelles to injury at 1-0 and had seen Tino Livramento follow him down the tunnel with some discomfort, were in serious trouble.
However, the introduction of Barnes in the 67th minute in place of injured benchmate Miguel Almiron proved to be the catalyst for a coordinated fight and after Isak converted a second penalty, awarded for a hit by fellow substitute Kalvin Phillips on Gordon, he took over.
It was he who equalized the score after he ran onto Isak’s pass seven minutes before the end and he scored the winning goal past substitute goalkeeper Łukasz Fabiański, who passed Phillips in the last minute of normal time and lifted the roof. at Saint James’s.
Head coach Eddie Howe, who has been booked for the occasion for the first time in his managerial career, said: “It will be very good for him.
“All attacking players want to shoot and they need to shoot to feel good in their matches and feel confident. He scored goals for us when he was fit, so I hope he stays fit now and continues to play.
Opponent David Moyes, who was also cautioned by referee Rob Jones, was particularly critical of the decision to award a second penalty after Jones was advised to go to the monitor.
He said: “I think we’re a bit unlucky – it’s not just Kalvin, we’re a bit unlucky.
“He could have chosen to have Anthony Gordon put his foot in because Kalvin Phillips can’t wait, he’s going to kick and that’s the way to clear the ball.
“He (Gordon) puts his foot in front of her and (Phillips) kicks her in the back of the leg, so I think you have to decide how you want to look at it.”
Jones sent Gordon off in stoppage time for a second infringement that would have been punished by kicking the ball.
Credit : www.independent.co.uk