THERE was one main event at Upton Park on Saturday, but the clash between two England midfielders, both given the captain's armband in the absence of their more illustrious colleagues, wasn't bad for an undercard.

Joe Cole and Kieron Dyer may not be skipper material to the football purists, but few could argue they have the talent to become part of England's midfield for years to come.

With Alan Shearer and Paolo di Canio absent, it would appear that both Sir Bobby Robson and Glenn Roeder have plenty of options to hand the honour to.

But a little psychology on the parts of Dyer and Cole's respective managers is aimed at bringing out the best in their mercurial midfielders.

On Saturday Cole won the battle with a super display, but he was still unable to lead his Hammers to their first Premiership win of the season at the Boleyn Stadium.

In his defence Dyer was just returning from a calf injury sustained against Spurs, and that need for a little extra from his midfield dynamo in the absence of Gary Speed saw Robson hand the honour to the 24-year-old.

But with Shearer returning to action next weekend against Manchester City, the honour won't last.

"I'm not looking at a long term successor," said Robson.

"We just knew Kieron being captain today - without Speed, no Dabizas in the side whose more experienced, no Alan (Shearer) of course - that it would inspire him.

"Those things do and when he feels he's important he just gives us another ten per cent.

"I thought he was very quick and very sharp especially after not training for ten days.

"On Friday he trained for the first time and I took a gamble. I didn't know whether his calf or his fitness would hold up.

"By giving him the captaincy I knew it would inspire him. I didn't need to give it to Aaron Hughes or people like that, but with Kieron it's a different situation. He like's it."

He may have liked it and he may have been quick but, despite the armband, Dyer's performance, like Newcastle's, was fitful.

A change in formation with Robson playing a narrower midfield - Dyer replacing Solano and Jermaine Jenas playing wider - seemed to upset Newcastle's balance.

Half a dozen very good moves were interjected by long periods when the ball appeared to be ballooning off every player's foot.

Without Shearer and Speed Newcastle looked just a little too lightweight.

Cole on the other hand - determined not to be upstaged by his new midfield colleague Lee Bowyer - took advantage of this and set about the Newcastle defence from the first minute.

His link play with the equally impressive Jermain Defoe kept the Newcastle rearguard on the back foot.

But with their first meaningful attack of the game, Newcastle went ahead after a super move.

A long ball up the right by Andy Griffin was taken in his stride by Shola Ameobi - in for the suspended Shearer - who fed Jenas speeding into the box.

The teenager quickly pulled the ball back for Craig Bellamy to wrong-foot David James and fire the opener.

The lead lasted all of five minutes before another defensive lapse saw the Hammers draw level.

A weak defensive header by Steve Caldwell, on his return to the starting line-up, fell straight to Cole who held off Griffin to bring the scores level.

West Ham began to take control and deservedly went ahead just before the break.

Bowyer fed Steve Lomas on the right and his low cross was picked up eight yards out by Defoe.

With his back to goal the lightning quick striker turned one way and then the other to completely bamboozle Caldwell, and give himself two yards of space which allowed him to hit West Ham's second.

Almost immediately Newcastle should have been level when a poor clearance from an Olivier Bernard cross fell invitingly to Clarence Acuna but the Chilean's effort was beaten away by James.

At the beginning of the second-half Glenn Roeder's side had two or three excellent chances to go 3-1 up but didn't take them.

The home side began to sit back. It may have been a mixture of tiredness and nerves, but from looking like also-rans for 25 minutes of the second-half Newcastle began to believe in themselves again.

The introduction of Lomana LuaLua against the team he supported as a boy was the turning point for Newcastle.

Before then there was little sustained threat down the right side with no width on the right side of the Magpies midfield.

But LuaLua's directness changed all that and after staring at another blank away day, Newcastle were level with nine minutes still on the clock.

A hopeful ball into the centre was cleared only as far as Jenas on the edge of the box.

He controlled the ball with his chest and then instantly hit a left volley that flew into the top corner. Jenas could have been an even bigger hero in injury time when he got onto the end of Laurent Robert's free kick from the right side of the penalty but just couldn't get any power on his effort.

Result: West Ham United 2 Newcastle United 2.

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