Jacob Murphy - one of six players restored to the United starting 11 following the midweek Carabao Cup win over Tottenham Hotspur - fired the visitors into an early lead at the London Stadium, seconds after Jarrod Bowen had hit the woodwork for the hosts.

But a Lucas Paquetá strike and a Sven Botman own goal turned the contest on its head before half time, with Tomáš Souček wrapping things up at the death to give the Hammers the points in the capital, ending Newcastle's three-match winning run in the process.

Bowen's angled drive came back off the upright in the fourth minute - an early sign of the struggling Hammers' intention to kick-start their season with an improved showing against Howe's men.

But just 26 seconds later, winger Murphy fizzed a low shot past Alphonse Areola after picking up Bruno Guimarães' lay-off and working his way to the edge of the box. It was an unerring finish from Murphy, who also netted in Newcastle's 2-1 win over Fulham last weekend.

This was another busy outing for Nick Pope, the Magpies stopper who repelled former teammate Callum Wilson's effort after the opener. It looked like he might have to face a penalty when referee Rob Jones pointed to the spot following Malick Thiaw's challenge on Bowen, but VAR Paul Howard recommended a second look - Thiaw had got a toe on the ball - which led to Jones reversing his initial decision.

West Ham grew into the contest, just as United faded. Murphy did combine with Nick Woltemade to force Areola into action but a goal looked likelier at the other end. Paquetá's deflected cross looped onto the bar and Crysencio Summerville missed his kick in the box as pressure grew. Pope then did well to read Paquetá's disguised low free kick, tipping it onto the outside of the post, before turning Max Kilman's header over from the resulting corner.

But ten minutes before the break, Nuno Espírito Santo's side levelled. Pope punched a cross clear but Paquetá made use of it from range, unleashing a swerving, powerful drive which zipped past the England custodian and into the bottom left-hand corner.

Newcastle rallied, and Areola made two saves to deny Anthony Gordon and Joelinton, the first of which prevented a certain goal. But in the fifth minute of stoppage time, the Hammers got a slice of luck that their performance probably merited. Aaron Wan-Bissaka's centre from the right was inadvertently turned in by Botman, whose attempted intervention wrong-footed Pope and sent his team in behind.

Howe opted to make three changes at the break, with Fabian Schär, Will Osula and Jacob Ramsey sent on in place of Emil Krafth, Anthony Gordon and Nick Woltemade. They improved in the third quarter, though only after Summerville cleared the bar in the hosts' first attack. Osula raced onto a Ramsey pass and cut in before firing over, while Murphy dragged a low effort wide just after the hour mark.

Pope was still required and demonstrated his alertness by throwing an arm up to keep out Paquetá's inswinging free kick which travelled all the way through the box without anyone getting a touch to it. The task almost became even more difficult in the 68th minute, when Freddie Potts belted home from close range. It came after substitute Souček brought down a Bowen cross, with Potts running onto the loose ball to net on his full Premier League debut - but the goal was disallowed because of a fractional offside call.

With just over ten minutes left, Howe's final roll of the dice was to introuduce Anthony Elanga, with fellow winger Harvey Barnes already having been sent on. But it didn't quite click in the final third for the Magpies, whose encouraging recent run was halted in disappointing fashion as Souček bundled home from close range after Pope had parried Bowen's effort in the 97th minute.