My grandad always used to say “With West Ham expect the unexpected” and over the decades he’s never been far wrong, writes Fan’s View columnist Billy Blagg.

With Slaven Bilic at the helm though, there’s a sense we’re going back to a different time. One where exciting and open football is going to mix with nerve-shredding performances in a manner not seen since Paolo di Canio last pulled on the shirt.

The early-season form has been something of a rollercoaster ride but those demanding their ‘West Ham back’ wouldn’t have it any other way.

The abortive and ultimately disappointing Europa League campaign, the encouraging blooding of youngsters, scintillating away form, abysmal home performances and a lot of action in the transfer market have made supporters dizzy in the opening weeks of the 2015/16 Premier League campaign.

But there were signs against Newcastle that everything was starting to slot into place.

It seems madness to suggest that the Hammers, having already won at Arsenal and Liverpool, were under the spotlight, but another defeat in front of the faithful following the reversals against Leicester and Bournemouth would have left the manager with a lot of questions to answer.

As it was, Newcastle were ideal visitors. Despite having over 60 per cent of the possession, the Magpies created little and the excellent early strike seemed to calm everyone’s nerves.

What followed was a good example of the type of thing we can expect to see under Bilic. Defending deep but hitting with pace and accuracy on the break, the result was an entertaining evening of attacking football.

Victor Moses may only be on loan from Chelsea for a season but there’s little doubt he can lead the Hammers to the Promised Land of Stratford (Oh come on! Someone has to say it!).

Newcastle could barely cope with the winger’s mazy runs and the standing ovation the Nigerian received as he left the pitch must have been encouraging for a player who always seems to struggle to find a home for his undoubted talent.

With Moses alongside the man who is sure to become the bargain of the season – Frenchman Dimitri Payet – you feel the confidence in the side growing. These are the type of players that can be relied upon to produce something special and give the opposition a constant problem in trying to contain them. The result is that other players around them are able to express themselves.

As if things could get any better, the evening even saw the return of Andy Carroll, who got a brief run out and astonishingly appeared not to injure himself in any way in the five minutes he was on the pitch.

Of course, it’s very much the West Ham way that Carroll’s return probably comes at the time the club need him the least, but that’s always been the way of things at Upton Park.

At least the squad now has some depth and there is competition for place a visit to Manchester City would normally be a fixture fraught with worries but, if nothing else, at least Bilic can lead out a team on Saturday that will pose some problems for Manuel Pellegrini’s league leaders.

Expect the unexpected? Why not?