Outstanding Declan Rice helps West Ham bring Newcastle United back down to earth

There were some heavy legs and weary limbs as Newcastle United were reminded by West Ham how tough it is to juggle cup ­success and maintain league momentum.

West Ham’s celebrations at the end told their own story. They have far more experience of this tricky juggling act, performing well in Europe, but finding it far more difficult in the league this season.

There is no doubt the euphoria – and lack of sleep – that followed Newcastle’s Carabao Cup semi-final win over Southampton loomed large over the home team’s evening.

As did the absence of the suspended Bruno Guimaraes, whose creative eye was sorely missed in the middle of the pitch.

Even after catching West Ham cold in an explosive start, the hosts could not maintain their usual energy levels. They gave the ball away cheaply and were slow to get to the second balls in midfield.  There was also a lack of imagination and clarity in the final third. It is not just tired bodies catching up with Newcastle, it is also the more draining effects of mental fatigue.

Yet, if there was disappointment at dropping points at home, opening the door for Tottenham Hotspur in the chase for Champions League qualification, there was also pride, too.

Newcastle were visibly struggling in the first half as West Ham seized the initiative, but in the final stages, it was the visitors who were clinging on, defending resolutely but at the expense of any sort of offensive threat.

Even when they are feeling the lingering effects of a midweek high, Newcastle could still build up enough pressure to create the chances to have scored a second.

Callum Wilson, who had scored his first goal since October in a whirlwind opening to the game, missed two chances he will feel he could have done better with. One was down to a magnificent tackle from the classy Nayef Aguerd, but the other was a free header, eight yards out, in the middle of the goal that he put straight at the keeper.

West Ham, though, appear to have turned the corner under David Moyes. They endured a nightmare start, in which Joe Willock had a goal inside 40 seconds disallowed because the ball had just rolled out of play before Miguel Almiron’s cut-back found him in the area and then Wilson ran through the middle of the defence to convert Sean Longstaff’s pass.

It was the ideal springboard, but West Ham snapped out of their slumber and with Declan Rice breaking up play in the middle of the pitch, they deserved their equaliser.

“Whatever the British transfer record is, he is going to break it whenever he leaves West Ham,” said Moyes. “When you see what is going for £85 million at the moment, he is going to blow that out of the water. I’m not going to put a figure on it and I hope he stays …”

The equaliser came from Rice’s corner and was nicely taken by Lucas Pacqueta, who held off Kieran Trippier at the far post before poking the ball beyond Nick Pope.