Newcastle United have warmed up for the League Cup final by beating West Ham United 1-0 to climb into the Premier League's top six and put life back into their Champions League challenge.

A run of three league defeats in four had left Eddie Howe's side teetering on the brink of falling away in the race for Europe, while there was also valuable momentum at stake before they face Liverpool at Wembley Stadium for the chance to end a 70-year domestic trophy drought.

Bruno Guimaraes got the crucial goal at London Stadium in the 63rd minute on Monday night, displaying clever movement to ghost away from West Ham's defence and turn in Harvey Barnes' cross from close range.

"A massive win," said Howe, who saw his team knocked out of the FA Cup by Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend.

"It's a difficult ground to play at, a difficult team to play against but we dug in, we were disciplined. We were everything defensively that we haven't been in recent weeks.

"We've had a challenging week and it was a brilliant response."

Hammers fans welcomed back striker Michail Antonio before kick-off, as he was presented on the pitch three months after the car accident that left him needing surgery on a broken leg, and riding a wave of appreciative noise their team ought to have been in front inside the opening minute.

Mohammed Kudus' cross from the left was hugely inviting and arriving at the far post was Tomas Soucek, who got badly underneath his first-time shot and scooped high over the bar.

A promising start gave way to more of the same for West Ham in their disappointing season.

On the one further occasion Kudus was able to run with the ball at his feet, Kieran Trippier blocked his way as he entered the box, then Jarrod Bowen arrived to crash the loose ball straight against his teammate.

As West Ham's threat receded, Newcastle took charge. Barnes, in for the suspended Anthony Gordon, had their first clear opening.

After Trippier had thumped the ball into the box, possibly going for goal, Barnes was first onto it with an attempted dink beyond the advancing goalkeeper Alphonse Areola, who darting from his goal saved well.

With a starting place in the League Cup final up for grabs in Gordon's absence, Barnes was staking a worthy claim. He went closer to giving the Magpies the lead when, following a Trippier corner, Dan Burn reached the ball to flick it into his path, Areola again showing smart reactions to push away the header.

West Ham's 'keeper produced an outrageous save on the hour mark.

Jacob Murphy's drilled cut-back from the byline should have been less trouble than Maximilian Kilman made of it, the defender's attempted clearance appearing destined for the top corner, until Areola's superhuman reach clawed it from under the bar.

It was a temporary reprieve. Moments later, Barnes was given time on the edge of the box to attempt not one but two crosses, the second of them reaching the boot of Guimaraes who manoeuvred goal-side of Ollie Scarles to prod it home.