Declan Rice makes big Newcastle United claim after 5-1 West Ham defeat

Newcastle beat West Ham 5-1 at the London Stadium on Wednesday night after braces from Callum Wilson and Joelinton as well as a chipped effort from substitute Alexander Isak. Newcastle’s third and fourth goals in particular – scored by Wilson and Isak – were the direct result of defensive errors made by Nayef Aguerd and Lukasz Fabianski respectively.

The Magpies went 2-0 up inside the opening 15 minutes before Kurt Zouma pulled a goal back for the hosts just before half-time. And Rice was critical in his assessment following the defeat which leaves West Ham outside of the relegation zone on goal difference while Newcastle remain third in the table.

"It's a really tough one to take,” Rice told Sky Sports. “They were five goals you can't concede at any level.

"Today was a weird one. At 2-0 down we felt the fans behind us, at half-time there was real belief. But the goal at the start of the second half killed things off.

"When you're at home and you've got fans behind you, you want to affect the game, and I can't fault the lads' effort. But since I've been playing for West Ham we have not conceded five worse goals as a team."

West Ham ended the match in front of a half empty London Stadium as the boos rang out at full-time.

"My focus is on game, but if I was a fan I wouldn't be happy,” Rice added. “They want to see us do well, and we haven't this season. But I have a lot of positive interactions with fans. I think we will be fine, we are ready for this battle."

On David Moyes, Rice added: "I love working with the manager, so do players, how he is as a man, he is great with us.

"Fans voice their opinions, they want to see results and performances. It is tough, you have to block out the noise, as captain I have to keep the boys on it.

"I've been down in a relegation fight at West Ham before and there has been negativity, but there is not that with this group of boys."