The Daily Star Ireland
Newcastle United will face West Ham United at St James’ Park on Monday in a Premier League clash.
Newcastle heads into the match on the back of a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest, where they controlled 56% of possession and took 17 shots, 6 of which were on target. Alexander Isak, Joelinton, and Harvey Barnes were the goal scorers for the Magpies, while Forest’s Murillo scored their only goal. Defensively, Newcastle has been solid, conceding just 4 goals in their last six matches, and they remain unbeaten in their last five league games against West Ham.
West Ham, meanwhile, played out a 0-0 draw with Everton in their previous outing, having 49% of possession and 11 shots, 6 of which were on target. Despite this, their defense has been leaky, allowing 10 goals in their last six matches. On the road, West Ham has been struggling, failing to win in their last four away games in the league.
Looking at recent encounters between the two sides, Newcastle has won 2 of the last 5 meetings, while West Ham has won once, with 3 matches ending in draws. These games have generally been high-scoring, with 27 goals scored in total across the five fixtures, averaging 4.5 goals per game. The most recent encounter in March 2024 saw Newcastle edge out a 4-3 victory.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe will be without Kieran Trippier, Callum Wilson, Sven Botman, and Emil Krafth due to injury. They are expected to line up in a 4-3-3 formation, with key players like Nick Pope, Fabian Schär, Bruno Guimarães, Alexander Isak, and Joelinton likely to start.
West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui has a nearly full squad available, with only Niclas Füllkrug missing due to an Achilles injury. West Ham is expected to play in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Lukasz Fabianski, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Michail Antonio among the starters.
Prediction
Prediction-wise, the match is expected to be tough for West Ham, given Newcastle’s strong attack and solid defense. Experts predict a 3-0 victory for Newcastle, with the game likely to see fewer than 3.5 goals.
