Callum Wilson shocked by what West Ham did before kick-off against Newcastle on Saturday

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Callum Wilson has commented on West Ham changing ends just before kick-off against Newcastle on Saturday evening.

Newcastle usually attack the Gallowgate End in the second half of matches, but the Hammers tried to switch their usual routine at the weekend.

Within minutes of the game starting, Newcastle had a goal ruled out and then Wilson opened the scoring anyway, so it hardly knocked them out of their stride.

Wilson told the BBC’s Footballer’s Football Podcast that Leicester tried something similar recently and he does not understand why teams do it.

Wilson on West Ham switching ends

He said: “These guys come up here, we’re at kick off now all set and ready. And the referee goes: ‘change ends’.

“I’m like what are these guys on, trying to play mind games. But for us it was one of them, we were just like: ‘did you not watch what Leicester did?’

“They tried to change end, but next minute it’s 2-0, game over. We started like a house on fire because we’re shooting into the Gallowgate End which is the end we prefer to shoot in so I just thought it was bizarre they tried to turn us around.

“So the more the merrier, if teams want to do that now and try and play mind games! It was probably Michail’s stupid idea!”

It can be an effective tactic to knock a team out of their normal regime but it seems Newcastle are well adjusted and don’t mind shooting to their favoured end in the first half.

They looked like they might be out of sight by half-time at one stage, but West Ham came back well and equalised through Lucas Paqueta.

Next up for Newcastle is a trip to face struggling Bournemouth and they will be confident of extending their strong recent defensive record against a club who have scored just once in the Premier League since Gary O’Neil took over permanently.