West Ham United made the long trip from London to the North East to take on Newcastle United in a Premier League encounter.
Both sides contest in a clash of European hopefuls although the Magpies have fallen off in recent months. Newcastle are now 10th on the log with West Ham sitting in a respectable sixth place, and they will have a lot to play for in what promises to be an exciting game.
There was a 2-2 thriller the last time Newcastle faced the Hammers in October as Mohamed Kudus’ late goal ensured a share of the spoils. Nevertheless, Newcastle was unbeaten in eight of their last nine meetings with West Ham.
Eddie Howe spectacularly led his side to their first UEFA Champions League group stage in 20 years as Newcastle started the 2023-24 season full of hope. They kicked off their Premier League campaign with a sensational 5-1 win against Aston Villa.
Yet, successive defeats to Manchester City, Liverpool, and Brighton subdued the mood a little bit but they bounced back with five clean sheets in all competitions. Up next was an incredible 4-1 home win against Paris Saint-Germain as the Magpies showed they would be competing admirably in their UEFA Champions League ‘Group of Death’.
There was a single defeat from the next six games in all competitions as they also beat Manchester United and Arsenal but back-to-back losses at Dortmund and Bournemouth exposed their ill luck with injuries.
Impressive showings against Chelsea, PSG, and Manchester United set them on a good path but Newcastle won only two of their last ten matches as they crashed out of the UCL and Carabao Cup.
They will be desperate to get back to winning ways in 2024 and it is pertinent to note that the Geordies have scored in each of their 11 Premier League home games this term.
Howe’s men must find some balance in the defensive phase as West Ham are capable of punishing any gaps in their backline.
The Hammers are in sixth place on the log having won the Europa Conference League last season and they are building on that momentum in 2023-24. West Ham started the campaign with a draw and three victories before losing successive games to Manchester City and Liverpool.
There were three more defeats over their next five league games but the Irons turned it around with three wins and a draw from the next four league matches. However, they suffered their heaviest-ever away defeat in a London derby against Fulham who ran riot with a 5-0 victory.
Since then, Moyes’ side kept clean sheets in their final three league games of the year during which they also beat Manchester United and Arsenal. Having drawn against Brighton on January 2, Bristol City got the better of the Hammers in their FA Cup Third Round replay and they resumed the Premier League’s winter break with a dramatic 2-2 draw away at Sheffield United.
West Ham have struggled in the absence of key players and they must get back on a winning trail to avoid dropping from their current league standing. The likes of Brighton and Man Utd are breathing down their necks and it is pertinent that they do not slip up in tricky away assignments such as the trip to Newcastle.
Match Tickets
This game is scheduled to take place at St. James’ Park on Saturday, March 30, 2024, with kick-off set for 3 PM UK time. Match tickets are on sale via each club’s website but only club members will receive priority allocation.
Getting match tickets for non-season ticket holders is going to be complicated because of the occasion against a domestic rival. Newcastle fans are an enthusiastic bunch, and they will be relentlessly backing their team on the day, which means tickets are likely to be sold out early on official channels.
Hence, supporters who are still looking for Newcastle vs West Ham tickets may make their search on a ticket resale site.
Team news
Eddie Howe will be hoping that his side avoids any more setbacks with Callum Wilson, Harvey Barnes, Joe Willock, Elliot Anderson, and Joelinton, who could be out for the remainder of the season, all injured at the time of writing. Matt Targett is also a long-term absentee while goalkeeper Nick Pope is still recovering from a dislocated shoulder.
Sandro Tonali will miss out through suspension after his 10-month ban for gambling offenses but both Tino Livramento and Jacob Murphy are set to have returned for the West Ham game.
The likes of Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, Pablo Fornals, and Edson Alvarez are the Hammers’ unavailable players but that should change by the time they travel to Newcastle in late March.
Line-ups
The Newcastle selection is set to be decided by availability and fitness levels, but they will hope to have several key players to call upon for this fixture.
Anthony Gordon is one to keep an eye on considering his sparkling form (six goals, five assists in 11 matches) on home soil this season, the attacker could be key to deciding the game.
Newcastle: Dubravka; Livramento, Schar, Botman, Burn; Miley, Guimaraes, Longstaff; Almiron, Gordon, Isak
West Ham has been impressive this term due to their consistency of performances which is thanks to regularly selecting the same group of players. Moyes has been smart in rotating his side between European and league games which means we will see West Ham’s strongest available team take on Newcastle.
West Ham: Areola; Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson; Soucek, Alvarez; Bowen, Ward-Prowse, Kudus; Antonio
Prediction
This match is a huge challenge for the visitors who must contend with the physical battles on the pitch as well as the mental strength needed to play in front of a hostile Magpies crowd. Par for the course, Newcastle have won eight of their 11 home league games this season and the Hammers must be wary.
West Ham will however be keen to test Newcastle’s resolve given they have now lost back-to-back games at St. James’ Park at the time of writing. The Hammers can hurt any top-flight opposition on their day which makes this fixture a must-see for neutrals and fans alike.
Newcastle 2-2 West Ham
