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Jonty Colman

West Ham player ratings: Nayef Aguerd and Lukasz Fabianski errors prove costly in Newcastle drubbing

West Ham United suffered their heaviest Premier League home defeat of the season with a 5-1 loss to Newcastle United on Sunday night.

Callum Wilson and Joelinton's goals inside the opening 15 minutes left the Hammers 2-0 down, with Kurt Zouma pulling a goal back shortly before half-time. The Magpies were then gifted two goals for Wilson and Alexander Isak at both ends of the second half, before Joelinton got his second in the closing stages.

Here is how football.london’s West Ham United writer Jonty Colman rated the Hammers’ players against Newcastle.

READ MORE : David Moyes agrees with Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp amid ‘realistic’ West Ham expectations claim

Lukasz Fabianski

Lukasz Fabianski marked his return from a fractured eye socket and cheekbone injury with a clean sheet during Sunday's 1-0 win over Southampton. Had a busy first half, and while he could not do much about Wilson's early header to open the scoring, he will have hoped to do better when Joelinton dribbled around him and scored to make it 2-0. Wilson attempted to take it around him in similar circumstances as Newcastle eyed a third before half-time, but this time he rushed out well and got a crucial hand to it.

Played a part In Newcastle's gifted third when he rolled the ball out to Aguerd, who was caught in possession by Jacob Murphy, who was able to square to Wilson for a second. Did make a couple of important saves to deny Murphy and Saint-Maximin from adding a fourth, which really would have killed off the game. Managed to single-handedly ensure defeat when he rushed out to a Bruno Guimaraes long pass and thighed it straight to Isak, who dinked into an empty net from 25 yards out. Then beaten too easily in stoppage time by Joelinton, who added his second and Newcastle's fifth. 4

Thilo Kehrer

Having provided an assist and kept a clean sheet against Saints, Thilo Kehrer was preferred at right-back, keeping his place of Vladimir Coufal. Showed a few sloppy passes early on and unnecessarily gave away an early corner, which in turn led to Wilson making it 1-0. In the second half he seriously struggled to nullify Saint-Maximin, who was a constant threat against him., although he did make a crucial tackle to deny Joelinton shortly after Murphy's effort was saved. One of four hooked shortly after an hour. 5

Kurt Zouma

French centre-back Kurt Zouma was playing next to Nayef Aguerd as a centre-back duo for only the fifth time in all competitions and the fourth time in the Premier League, with their partnership likely to be crucial in the run-in.

Will have been disappointed that both he and Aguerd did not get near Wilson for the first goal and should really have done better to get rid of Fabian Schar's through pass to set up Joelinton making it two, although he and Aguerd may have been rewarded for playing a high line, had Emerson not played Joelinton onside. Made up for those frustrations late in the first half, turning in Jarrod Bowen's corner with a thumping header just before the break, his first goal since the home win over Bournemouth in October. Hardly at fault for either of the two second-half goals, comfortably the best of a poor back four. 7

Nayef Aguerd

Moroccan centre-back Nayef Aguerd will have gone into the game in high spirits after his first goal in claret and blue earned a crucial three points on Sunday against bottom-of-the-table Southampton. Would have been frustrated not to have been in a better position for the two first-half goals but was completely at fault for Wilson's second, caught on the ball too easily. Defended well and on the front foot at times, but his error really killed the momentum West Ham had before the second half really got going. 5

Emerson

Left-back Emerson kept his place in the side, seemingly remaining some way ahead of Aaron Cresswell in the back four. It was his half-cleared header at an early corner that fell to Saint-Maximin, who beat Said Benrahma and him far too easily to get a cross in for Wilson's opener. Played Joelinton onside for him to make it 2-0 less than ten minutes later. Attacked well and tried to make things happen going forward, but not with the attacking quality he has shown at times in a West Ham shirt. 5

Tomas Soucek

There were calls from some supporters ahead of kick-off for Moyes to replace Tomas Soucek with Flynn Downes, but Moyes stuck loyal to Soucek. As he has done in recent weeks, Soucek struggled in the middle of the pitch and there was a lack of technical quality which really showed, especially when Declan Rice and Lucas Paqueta showed spells of real class. Among those taken off shortly after the hour mark, with his only positive impact of note being the free-kick he won that saw Paqueta force a save out of Nick Pope. 5

Declan Rice

West Ham captain Declan Rice provided the assist for Lucas Paqueta's goal in this fixture in February in his more recent role as an occasional corner-taker. Rice went on a few blistering runs in the heart of midfield and showed real quality to glide past players, with West Ham largely positive barring costly defensive errors that gifted Newcastle goals. Created a good chance for Michail Antonio with a run and also set a real tone in midfield next to Paqueta. 7

Lucas Paqueta (Star man)

Brazilian Lucas Paqueta scored his most recent West Ham goal in this fixture two months ago and was playing against close friend and former Olympique Lyonnais teammate Bruno Guimaraes in the heart of midfield. Excellent for West Ham despite the drubbing of a result. Good defensive and really progressive with his passing, drawing fouls out of the visitors and a few fancy flicks too. Always grafted, never down despite Newcastle's constant goals. Forced a good save out of Pope in the first half, one of a few times where Pope was worked in goal. 7

Jarrod Bowen

West Ham winger Jarrod Bowen has scored four Premier League goals this season, all of which have come inside the London Stadium. Largely good, a really good source of creativity as he regularly beat Dan Burn down his side to get crosses into the box, although those chances were largely not taken. Did do well to win a corner which he then took himself to tee up Zouma's goal. Continued to stretch the pitch and did have a couple of shots, although none were able to test Pope. A good source and among those who could hardly be blamed for the drubbing. 6

Michail Antonio

Striker Michail Antonio was re-introduced into a Premier League line-up for the first time since February's 2-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur, taking on Newcastle's Callum Wilson who he co-hosts the Footballers' Football Podcast with. Grafted well and offered more than Danny Ings has of late, having one good chance after good work with Rice, although a crucial Sven Botman tackle cut it out. Good at winning fouls to carry them up the pitch, but was one of four hooked on the hour mark. 6

Said Benrahma

Said Benrahma went into kick-off joint-top for league goals and top for league assists this term, hoping to add to that against the Magpies. A largely poor performance, nowhere near the amount of his quality was displayed, his crosses and passes lacked the cutting edge needed to break through one of the Premier League's best defences. Taken off after an hour. 6

Substitutes

Vladimir Coufal

Moyes made a quadruple change shortly after the hour mark, with Vladimir Coufal replacing Kehrer at right-back, his first club outing since February's win over Nottingham Forest. Did okay and got forward, but it was down his side where Joelinton was given too much space to make it 5-1. 5

Danny Ings

It was in that win over Forest where Danny Ings made his full West Ham debut and for the first time in the league since then, he had to feature from the bench, replacing Antonio. A few good touches but lacked the drive and threat, which Antonio showed more of. 5

Maxwel Cornet

Winger Maxwel Cornet was also given just shy of 30 minutes off the bench, replacing Benrahma down the left side after a largely flat performance. Offered good pace but did not give Kieran Trippier a lot to think about. 5

Flynn Downes

Downes did get his chance in place of Soucek, but only after an hour had passed. The best of the four subs, passed forward, good on the turn and offered more attacking passing than he normally does. 5

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