West Ham vs Newcastle: The Inside Track

Following victory over London rivals Chelsea, West Ham travels up north to Newcastle, as the Hammers look to push themselves further away from the relegation zone.

Newcastle beat West Ham at the London Stadium earlier in the season. The Magpies have been in undefeated since the Premier League restart, winning two games by three-goal margins against Sheffield United and AFC Bournemouth and drawing the other against Aston Villa.

West Ham manager David Moyes can not underestimate Newcastle, despite the Hammers win over Chelsea on Tuesday. Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has worked wonders in his first season in charge, despite a lot of criticism surrounding his original appointment.

To gain a better understanding of the Magpies and how they have been playing recently. We spoke to Newcastle Toons (Twitter: @NewcastleToons) in order to get an inside track on West Ham United’s next opponent.

1. What are your thoughts of Steve Bruce’s debut season as Newcastle United manager?

Rafa Benitez left behind big shoes to fill, but Steve Bruce has done a phenomenal job at Newcastle United. It took Bruce several months to abandon his ultra-defensive tactics, but he has the team on the right path when it matters most. 42 points with six games remaining are quite the achievement.

2. What is the Magpies’ aim for the rest of the season?

The Magpies are solely focused on looking up the table. Seeing that there is little to separate teams in the middle of the pack, Newcastle United aim to finish in the top ten. A win on Sunday would put Newcastle United in real contention for the Europa League as well.

3. Who will be the Newcastle dangerman/men in the match against West Ham?

The most dynamic player in the squad is, without a doubt, Allan Saint-Maximin, but he might not suit up on Sunday due to fatigue. That being said, Jonjo Shelvey will be expected to orchestrate the majority of the Magpies’ attacks.

4. What are the weak spots in Newcastle armour that West Ham could exploit?

Newcastle United have been disciplined and organized in the back as of late, but they concede far too many corners in games. The more corner kicks West Ham United can earn, the better off they will be. Looking back at last week, Aston Villa salvaged a point from a corner kick as a result of poor marking in the box.

5. Joelinton has had a disappointing debut season, what’s gone wrong for the Brazilian?

Joelinton has done many things right, except for finding the back of the net on a regular basis. The Brazilian has been isolated on an island of his own for most of the season, which has placed a ceiling on his success. Moreover, he has struggled to adapt to English football, but fans hope he can turn things around with this attacking style of play.

6. What are your thoughts on West Ham this season, do you think they will escape relegation?

West Ham United are a solid team on paper, so it is quite shocking to see them just above the relegation zone. In the end, though, the Hammers should be fine. Even if they struggle on Sunday, they can still take points from teams like Burnley, Norwich City, Watford and Aston Villa.

7. Newcastle won the reverse fixture 3-2, holding off a late comeback from the Hammers. Who will win this time?

It will be a close affair, but Newcastle United are flying high at the moment. A draw would not surprise me, but Jonjo Shelvey and Miguel Almiron should be able to lead the home side to victory.

8. Score Prediction?

Newcastle United 2-1 West Ham United

There you have it, West Ham will have a tricky game when they travel to St James’ Park on Sunday. Hopefully, the Hammers will surprise Newcastle and it’s fans and earn a positive result to bring back down to London.