Newcastle manager Steve Bruce admits he deliberately started Jonjo Shelvey because he is a West Ham fan.
The Romford-born midfielder had last started in mid-September after having been hampered by a longstanding calf injury.
However, Bruce felt that Shelvey who also delivered the set-piece which led to Ciaran Clark’s opening goal would perform well against the club he supported as a boy.
“I just thought Jonjo, if we needed a pass, could give a pass,” said Newcastle’s head coach reported by the Sunderland Echo. “With set-pieces, he’s made one and scored one. Always, in the back of my mind, I knew he was a West Ham fan, so this is a stage he wants to play on. He was very good. He’s got to maintain it. I got the decision”
“We know that Pellegrini’s teams like to play a high line,” Shelvey told reporters post match.
“They (West Ham) always struggle with runners from deep and we worked on it in training and it paid off
“It was a great win and we dug deep in the last 20 minutes. In the first half we should have been four goals up.
“We should have been more clinical but when you are down at the bottom you need to take any win as it comes.”
“I just kept my head down and I am waiting for an opportunity. It is what it is.
“I have been around long enough to know you just have to keep working hard and fight for your place.
“That is what I’m going to do this season.”