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Add as preferred source on Google<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\nOnly two West Ham players scored better than 5\/10 in the 3-1 defeat at Newcastle but Nuno Espirito Santo was the worst of the lot as he got it all wrong again to leave the Hammers on the brink of relegation.<\/strong><\/p>\n It was West Ham\u2019s biggest Premier League game for 15 years but you wouldn\u2019t have known it as Nuno Espirito Santo and his cowardly bunch left the club with one foot in the Championship.<\/p>\n West Ham were comfortably beaten as Eddie Howe\u2019s side cantered to victory.<\/p>\n What was inexcusable was the fact Newcastle clearly wanted it more than the Hammers despite having absolutely nothing to play for at St James\u2019 Park.<\/p>\n Nuno may have done a decent job of giving West Ham the chance of survival since January, but it took him far too long to get a tune out of the team in the first place.<\/p>\n And just when he did find a settled side, his switch to negative, cautious tactics has cost West Ham dear when it mattered most.<\/p>\n Wilson starts, but five defenders\u2026 \ud83d\udcad<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Nuno was at it again with his defeatist approach as he played a back five \u2013 a formation that \u2013 bar a season under Harry Redknapp in the 90s \u2013 has NEVER served West Ham well.<\/p>\n Jean-Clair Todibo, who has not looked the least bit interested since joining West Ham two years ago, was drafted into what has been a settled defence.<\/p>\n He and Mads Hermansen put on a comedy show to give away the first as West Ham simply rolled over instead of rolling their sleeves up to fight for the badge.<\/p>\n Nuno finally started Callum Wilson but left out the legs of Valentin Castellanos so he could play a back five and it backfired spectacularly.<\/p>\n The Portuguese should have changed it after five minutes when it was clear West Ham were on a hiding to nothing.<\/p>\n But he waited until 25 minutes in and the team being 2-0 down before bringing off a smirking Todibo who ignored his manager for good measure.<\/p>\n Switching to four instantly improved West Ham to further expose Nuno\u2019s ridiculous tactics.<\/p>\n Nuno was the worst of the lot as his tactics put the cowardly Hammers on brink of the Championship.<\/p>\n Liverpool, Everton and Newcastle are interested\u2026 \ud83d\udc40<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n West Ham will now be officially relegated if Spurs win at Chelsea on Tuesday night. <\/p>\n The Hammers will also be unofficially relegated if Tottenham get a point in that game given the huge gulf in goal difference.<\/p>\n West Ham\u2019s only hope now is that Spurs lose to both Chelsea and Everton and they beat Leeds on the final day.<\/p>\n The reality is, the Hammers have signed their own death warrant and Nuno was holding the pen.<\/p>\n For just two players to score better than 5\/10 in a game of this importance is unforgivable.<\/p>\n It was a spineless performance from a team that simply isn\u2019t good enough and a bunch of players who simply do not care enough.<\/p>\n Nuno is not entirely to blame for West Ham\u2019s impending relegation but his tactics in numerous games have cost the club dear and could have had them safe by now.<\/p>\n Mads Hermansen, 2\/10:<\/strong> Hermansen started the season in horrendous form after arriving for a ridiculous \u00a315m and that\u2019s how he is ending it too. His awful, over-hit pass to Todibo set West Ham on their way to defeat and back-to-back relegations for the former Leicester stopper.<\/p>\n Aaron Wan-Bissaka, 3\/10:<\/strong> Poor display from last season\u2019s Hammer of the Year and worst of all Wan-Bissaka did not look bothered in the slightest.<\/p>\n Konstantinos Mavropanos, 4\/10:<\/strong> The big Greek was back to his old tricks as he started the game sluggishly and nervously, giving the ball away the first four times he touched it. It set the tone for the defeat.<\/p>\n Axel Disasi, 5\/10:<\/strong> The most solid of the three centre-backs but even he looked ragged at times. Hammers fans had high hopes of signing Disasi if they stayed up but that now looks dead in the water barring a miracle.<\/p>\n Jean-Clair Todibo, 2\/10:<\/strong> Has never looked like he wanted to be at West Ham from the start. Hopefully he won\u2019t be in a couple of months. A lazy, weak defender with a terrible attitude who won\u2019t be missed.<\/p>\n El Hadji Malick Diouf, 5\/10: <\/strong>Did ok overall and has been one of West Ham\u2019s more consistent performers in general but has so much to learn and is nowhere near ready for the rumoured big money move to an elite club.<\/p>\n Tomas Soucek, 3\/10:<\/strong> We all love big Tom but it is games like this where his deficiencies on the ball stick out like a sore thumb. Subbed off.<\/p>\n Mateus Fernandes, 6.5\/10:<\/strong> Only one of two West Ham players to get better than 5\/10 as he did his best to try and make something happen. Should have gone out to close down Harvey Barnes for Newcastle\u2019s first goal but overall he has been excellent and deserves his inevitable move to a top club.<\/p>\n Crysencio Summerville, 5\/10: <\/strong>The man who gave West Ham any hope of survival has gone missing when it was within reach. The Dutchman showed flashes but is judged on goals and assists and provided neither.<\/p>\n Jarrod Bowen, 2\/10: <\/strong>Absolutely abysmal from the captain yet again. Bowen has been awful for most of the season by his own high standards but especially since the turn of the year. Inexplicably bad at times, needing two touches to get the ball under control. Arguably the weakest captain since Matt Upson.<\/p>\n Callum Wilson, 4\/10: <\/strong>Worked hard but gave fuel to the argument that he is better as a sub.<\/p>\n Subs:<\/strong><\/p>\n Castellanos, 8\/10:<\/strong> Scored what is probably West Ham\u2019s goal of the season out of nothing and worked his socks off as usual. Missed a couple of golden chances but should have started behind Wilson and things could have been very different.<\/p>\n Kante, Pablo, 3\/10:<\/strong> Pablo gave the ball away for Newcastle\u2019s third and Kante made little impact, also giving the ball away needlessly when West Ham were pushing to get a second goal back late on.<\/p>\n Nuno, 0\/10:<\/strong> Unforgivable team selection and tactics when it mattered most. The Portuguese will be leaving if and when West Ham drop and with this kind of approach he won\u2019t be missed.<\/p>\nNuno gets it all wrong to leave West Ham on the brink of relegation<\/h2>\n
How do you feel about Nuno\u2019s team selection vs Newcastle? \ud83e\udd14<\/h3>\n
![\"Callum](\"https:\/\/cdn1.hammers.news\/uploads\/25\/2026\/05\/starting-XI-819x1024.jpg\")
<\/div>![\"West](\"https:\/\/cdn1.hammers.news\/uploads\/25\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2276730067-1024x620.jpg\")
<\/div>Five at the back condemns cowardly Hammers to defeat<\/h2>\n
What should West Ham do with Jarrod Bowen if they are relegated? \ud83d\udcad<\/h3>\n
![\"West](\"https:\/\/cdn1.hammers.news\/uploads\/25\/2026\/04\/GettyImages-2272282605-1024x707.jpg\")
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<\/div>West Ham player ratings vs Newcastle:<\/h2>\n
![\"Jean-Clair](\"https:\/\/cdn1.hammers.news\/uploads\/25\/2026\/05\/GettyImages-2275040628-1024x683.jpg\")
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