KALVIN PHILLIPS is well on his way to becoming the worst loan signing in Prem history.
And if his Euros hopes weren’t up in smoke before, there’s no way Gareth Southgate will touch him now.
West Ham were 3-1 up and cruising at St James’ Park against a shambles of a Newcastle side.
David Moyes then brought Phillips on with 20 minutes to go, and they disintegrated.
Supersub Harvey Barnes was the Magpies hero, bagging two late goals to complete a sensational turnaround.
But it was only possible thanks to Phillips. On loan from Manchester City, he’s had a disaster since joining the Hammers in January,
Yet nothing compares to this horror show. He first gave away a penalty on Anthony Gordon, with Alexander Isak scoring his second spot-kick of the afternoon to make it 3-2.
Barnes then converted Isak’s brilliant through ball to level it up 3-3, before Phillips got it on the act again. Gordon teed Barnes up at the top of the box but it was all too easy for the winger as he skipped past Phillips’ challenge before bending a stunner into the corner.
St James’ Park went wild, Eddie Howe was off dancing down the touchline, and Phillips was left to rue one of the worst cameos you’ll ever see.
Defeat would have ramped up the pressure on Howe but the most unlikely of victories leaves them well in the hunt for a European spot.
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A rip-roaring classic, just two minutes were on the clock when Vladimir Coufal brought Anthony Gordon down inside the area.
Fresh from his England debut, the Scouse winger was full of beans from the off and danced forward before his low cross came back his way.
He got there just before Coufal and was hauled down, with ref Rob Jones pointing straight to the spot.
A lengthy VAR check for offside followed before Isak stepped up and slammed into the bottom corner.
But the Geordies hoping to run away with it in the glorious sunshine were sorely mistaken.
Michail Antonio levelled up 21 minutes in but it all stemmed from Toon centre-back Jamaal Lascelles hobbling off moments before.
Emil Krafth replaced the skipper and moved to right-back, with Tino Livramento switched to the left.
And a back four who had never played together were all over the shop.
Lucas Paqueta picked it up on halfway and played a beautiful lofted through ball over the dawdling Krafth to the onrushing Antonio.
The gap between Newcastle’s defence and keeper Martin Dubravka was alarming but the Slovakian is allergic of leaving his six-yard box, so the striker had a free run on goal and duly obliged by bagging his fourth of the season.
With the Euros on the horizon, this was a great opportunity for Gordon and Jarrod Bowen to impress Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate.
Gordon started brightly but nodded a brilliant chance wide after it was put on a plate by Jacob Murphy.
Bruno Guimaraes then curled one off the bar, but the Hammers took the lead in first-half injury time via Kudus.
The Ghana winger was fouled by Fabian Schar but caught the Swiss defender in the face with a stray arm.
As Schar rolled around feigning injury, Paqueta took a quick free-kick to Bowen, catching the whole Newcastle side off guard, with Kudus rifling home.
The Mags were up in arms but not one of them was alert to the danger and only had themselves to blame.
And they were 3-1 down two minutes into the second half when caught napping AGAIN.
Kudus broke from his own box from a Newcastle corner, skinned Schar down the left and played Bowen in down the middle.
As the Newcastle players ambled back, the England hopeful had all the time in the world to advance on the rooted Dubravka and fire into the bottom corner.
The Mags were a complete mess now. Livramento hobbled off, sub Krafth was hooked following a shocking cameo, and then fellow replacement Miguel Almiron went off crocked 11 minutes after coming on.
Alexander Isak and Sean Longstaff both butchered sitters, and the local had all but given up hope…until David Moyes brought Kalvin Phillips on.
The midfielder on loan from Manchester City has had a torrid time at West Ham, and it got even worse here when he gave away a penalty on Gordon with one of his first actions.
Isak slotted his second, St James’ Park woke up, and it was game on with 13 minutes remaining.
Six minutes and Newcastle were miraculously level. Isak was the architect this time, dropping deep and slipping in sub Harvey Barnes, who poked home.
The Tynesiders were incredibly eyeing a winner now, and that man Barnes was the hero in the 90th minute, doing Phillips all ends up at the top of the box before curling a beauty into the corner.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
