Harvey Barnes aims to build on two-goal substitute cameo after injury-hit season
The 26-year-old was making just his 14th Newcastle appearance of the season in the 4-3 win over West Ham.
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Your support makes all the difference.Match-winner Harvey Barnes is hoping there is more to come after belatedly kick-starting his season in spectacular style to fire Newcastle to a remarkable victory over West Ham.
The Magpies were trailing 3-1 to the Hammers at St James’ Park on Saturday when £38million summer signing Barnes was sent on for just his 14th appearance of an injury-blighted campaign.
He eventually left the pitch to rapturous applause having fired home an equaliser and a stunning late winner to condemn the Hammers to a 4-3 defeat on an afternoon which will live long in the memory for those who witnessed it.
The 26-year-old told NUFC TV: “It’s been a tough season for me, of course. Playing time has been limited through injury and when I’m out there, I just want to do everything I can to help the team get points, and those goals in those moments, you can’t really describe them
“It’s what I’ve missed so much whilst being injured. Hopefully there are many more of them to come this year, but for today, I’ll just cherish that moment.”
Barnes’ thrilling cameo set the seal on a Premier League contest which was eventful from the first moment to the last.
The game was just six minutes old when Alexander Isak sent keeper Alphonse Areola the wrong way from the penalty spot after Vladimir Coufal had tripped Anthony Gordon, but the Magpies found themselves behind at the break after Michail Antonio levelled and then the excellent Mohammed Kudus put the visitors ahead from Lucas Paqueta’s quickly-taken free-kick.
When Jarrod Bowen made it 3-1 three minutes after the restart, Newcastle, who had lost skipper Jamaal Lascelles to injury at 1-0 and saw Tino Livramento follow him down the tunnel in some discomfort, were in deep trouble.
However, Barnes’ introduction as a 67th-minute replacement for injured fellow substitute Miguel Almiron proved the catalyst for a concerted fightback and after Isak had converted a second penalty, awarded for a trip by another substitute Kalvin Phillips on Gordon, he took over.
It was he who levelled after running on to Isak’s through-ball with seven minutes remaining, and he who drilled what proved to be the winning goal past substitute keeper Lukasz Fabianski after side-stepping Phillips in the final minute of normal time to raise the roof at St James’.
Head coach Eddie Howe, who was booked for the first time in his managerial career for his celebrations, said: “That will do him the world of good.
“All attacking players want to score, and need to score to feel good about their games and feel confident. He has scored goals for us when he’s been fit, so hopefully he can stay fit now and keep going.”
Opposite number David Moyes, who was also cautioned by referee Rob Jones, was particularly critical of the decision to award the second penalty after Mr Jones had been advised to go to the monitor.
He said: “I think we’re a bit unfortunate – not just Kalvin, we’re a bit unfortunate.
“He could have chosen that Anthony Gordon had planted his leg because obviously Kalvin Phillips is looking forward, he’s going to kick which is the way to clear the ball.
“He (Gordon) plants his leg in front of it and he (Phillips) kicks the back of his leg, so I think you need to decide what way you want to look at it.”
Jones sent Gordon off in added time for a second bookable offence – kicking the ball away.