William Osula steals the show in Newcastle's 3-1 win over West Ham

Newcastle had the game under control very quickly at St James' Park, leading 2-0 inside 19 minutes before William Osula made it a night built around him. He scored twice, earned a 9/10 in the ratings piece, and was the clear standout in a comfortable home win over West Ham.

Why Osula was the main story

The ratings desk was blunt about it. “Two goals from the man in sparkling form. It would be a major blunder to sell him this summer. Quick, bright and alert. And what about those clinical finishes? Just pipped Ramsey for man of the match,” it wrote of Osula. That fits the eye test here. His 9.3 rating was the highest among Newcastle players, and the finishing was the most obvious difference between the two sides.

The wider picture was still encouraging for Newcastle. Jacob Ramsey supplied an assist in the first half and was rated 9/10, while Bruno Guimarães had a hand in the second goal and posted an 8.2 rating. Nick Pope is not central to the story here, but the home side's structure looked settled enough that the result never felt in doubt once the first two goals went in.

The supporting cast did their part

Ramsey’s influence mattered because it meant Newcastle were not relying on a single burst from Osula. The ratings desk summed up Ramsey neatly: “Weighed in with an assist in the first half and looked lively all game.” That is about right, and it helps explain why Newcastle’s best passages came with movement from multiple midfield and wide areas.

There was also a useful sign from Bruno Guimarães, who did the sort of midfield work Newcastle needed while still helping the team build the second goal. If the headline was Osula, the evidence underneath it was a home side with enough quality spread across the pitch to make West Ham chase the game early.

Osula now has 7 Premier League goals in 23 appearances, so this was not just a one-off hot night. Newcastle will take the result and the performances, and if they get more of the same from Osula, Ramsey and Bruno Guimarães, there will be plenty more to like in the closing stretch.