Newcastle United boss Rafael Benitez: "We deserved to win"

Rafael Benitez has insisted that Newcastle United were good value for their 3-2 victory at West Ham United, having seen his side end their nine-game winless run.

In an eventful afternoon at the London Stadium, the Magpies had to dig deep at times as they battled back from behind and held on for all three points.

Rob Elliot saved an Andre Ayew penalty at a crucial point in a game, allowing Christian Atsu to wrap up the points through his strike just after the hour mark, with Ayew's goal proving nothing more than a consolation.

Benitez, who saw his side hit the woodwork a couple of times prior to edging in front, claims that United did enough to leave East London triumphant.

"We were working so hard for so many games, we deserve a day like today. For the fans, it's fantastic," he told Sky Sports News. "The game against Everton we hit the post twice. And today it was one of those days where I couldn't believe it would be the same again.

"We deserved to win. The performance of the team has been so good, it's a great feeling for us and the fans."

Newcastle have now pulled off a Premier League double against West Ham in a single season on four occasions.