Bruno Guimaraes scores only goal as Newcastle beat West Ham to move up to sixth

Newcastle warmed up for Sunday’s Carabao Cup final by beating West Ham 1-0 at the London Stadium to climb into the Premier League’s top six and put life back into their Champions League challenge.

A run of three league defeats in four had left Eddie Howe’s side teetering on the brink of falling away in the race for Europe, while there was also valuable momentum at stake before they face Liverpool at Wembley for the chance to end a 70-year domestic trophy drought.

Bruno Guimaraes got the crucial goal in the 63rd minute, displaying clever movement to ghost away from West Ham’s defence and turn in Harvey Barnes’ cross from close range.

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West Ham fans had welcomed back striker Michail Antonio before kick-off, as he was presented on the pitch three months after the car accident that left him needing surgery on a broken leg, and riding a wave of appreciative noise their team ought to have been in front inside the opening minute.

Mohammed Kudus’ cross from the left was hugely inviting, and after Jarrod Bowen and defender Tino Livramento had each gone for the ball and missed it, arriving at the far post was Tomas Soucek, who got badly underneath his first-time shot from six yards and scooped high over the bar.

A promising start gave way to more of the same for West Ham in their disappointing season.

As the first half wore on, Bowen and Kudus increasingly found themselves isolated, with too great a distance between each other and from any support from midfield.

On the one further occasion Kudus was able to run with the ball at his feet, Kieran Trippier stood up well to block his way as he entered the box, then Bowen arrived to crash the loose ball straight against his team-mate.

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