After Super Saturday came Survival Sunday, as Newcastle twice came from behind to claim a point that extended their unbeaten Premier League run to six games and assured them of top-flight football next season.

Aside from efforts by Miguel Almiron and Jonjo Shelvey to cancel out strikes from Michail Antonio and Tomas Soucek though, the hosts failed to shine in front of goal.

Following his midweek heroics against Bournemouth, Allan Saint-Maximin was less impactful today - but the black and whites never got near the opposition box following his 69th minute withdrawal.

In contrast to recent league games, the arrival of players from the bench failed to benefit the Magpies; a late cameo from Andy Carroll failing to provide even a sniff of a goal against his former club.

Steve Bruce retained the bulk of the side from Wednesday's victory at Bournemouth; Javier Manquillo remaining in the left back position and Emil Krafth keeping his place on the opposite flank: the Swede clearly gaining in confidence as he adjusts to playing in a back four, in contrast to his early nightmarish outings at wing back in a five man defence.

Further forward, Miguel Almiron continued to deputise for the unavailable Sean Longstaff and Isaac Hayden replaced Nabil Bentaleb. However the Algerian international was introduced before half time after Hayden pulled up and hobbled off with what looked like a hamstring tweak.

Having ended their winless run by beating Chelsea last time out, the visitors were gifted a fourth minute opener when Jamaal Lascelles missed a routine chance to clear Jarrod Bowen's low cross from the right, allowing the unattended Antonio to take a touch and lash it home.

The black and whites rallied though and levelled on the quarter hour, after a flowing move involving Joelinton, Saint-Maximin and Krafth ended with Almiron stabbing into the Leazes goal from the edge of the six yard box.

Newcastle had scored all their goals from set pieces when winning 3-2 in East London last November but were caught out by one from West Ham on 65 minutes.

Bowen's corner to the back post found Declan Rice, who overwhelmed marker Krafth to head onto the crossbar. The rebound fell to Soucek though and the giant defender tucked it away for a second league goal in five days.

That lead lasted less than two minutes however, Jonjo Shelvey firing home against his boyhood club for the second time this season.

While Newcastle showed little inclination to go for the win, West Ham were keener on trying improve their precarious position and continued to press forward as the game moved into the closing stages.

Two further corners caused momentary discomfort in the home ranks and Martin Dubravka was also equal to a header from Soucek and Andriy Yarmolenko's shot. With neither side able to build on having found the net though, the draw was a logical and suitable outcome.

Eight points and ten goals from our four post-restart PL games compares more than favourably with five points and a solitary strike in the four that preceded lockdown.

At the risk of stating the obvious, dispensing with the back five has improved our flow and if we don't quite have a "we're going to score one more than you" attitude, then at least the players are rather more adept at reaching the opposition box.

Saint-Maximin remains at the heart of our forward threat though and his withdrawal saw the team partially revert to the tedious sideways passing that has blighted so many of our games this season.

Six league games unbeaten is no mean feat, but in order to reach seven will require avoiding what would be our eleventh straight PL loss at the Etihad.