West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo with Newcastle United badge inset
Credit: Imago
Evan Lloyd
Wed 29 October 2025 9:10, UK
Nuno Espirito Santo is a man in desperate need of a positive result when West Ham take on Newcastle United this weekend.
West Ham are set to take on Newcastle on Sunday, with Nuno in search of his first win in charge of the Hammers.
It has been a dismal start to life at the London Stadium for the former Tottenham boss, with only Wolves keeping the Irons off the bottom of the table.
And now, West Ham are set for a brutal run of Premier League fixtures, which will begin with the visit of the Magpies.
Newcastle are the favourites to beat West Ham, despite facing an up-and-down start to the season themselves.
West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo on the touchline.
Credit: Imago
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Nuno Espirito Santo was involved in tense moment with referee Rob Jones
The Premier League have announced that Rob Jones will oversee West Ham‘s meeting with Newcastle on Sunday, with Paul Howard on video assistant referee duties.
The Englishman has made several controversial decisions in his six years overseeing matches in the Premier League, but few garnered more criticism than his decision to send off Wily Boly in 2023.
The French defender had already been booked when he slid in, winning the ball cleanly before Bournemouth’s Adam Smith stepped on his foot.
Jones inexplicably drew a second yellow card from his pocket, however, and sent Boly off. As the decision involved a second yellow and not a straight red, the video assistant referee could not get involved.
Speaking after the game, Nuno said: “I asked our analyst to put the image of the red card, and I saw it over and over again to try to understand because I respect the job of the referees a lot.
“I saw it over and over, as many times as I saw it, I could understand it, what he saw. It was bad. I spoke to [Jones] but what can I do? I respect them, I try to support them, but it’s a mistake, a huge mistake.
“At the end of the game, I hadn’t seen it – I went and shook his hand, he’s a referee I know. But when you see it, you get so much frustration. I didn’t talk about it with him.”
West Ham’s record when refereed by Jones
Jones has refereed West Ham on nine occasions over the last six years. The most recent came on the opening day when Sunderland battered the Hammers 3-0.
In fact, of the last five games the Englishman has overseen involving the Irons, just one has ended in victory for West Ham.
West Ham refereed by Rob Jones – last 5
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
West Ham 1-1 Brighton
Crystal Palace 0-2 West Ham
Newcastle United 4-3 West Ham
Nottingham Forest 1-0 West Ham
Overall, Jones has refereed four wins for the London club, four losses, and a draw.
With West Ham’s chances already looking minute for the Newcastle clash, Nuno will hope at least to finish the game without any decisions as poor as the one to send Boly off.
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