The Premier League weekend concludes with the Monday Night Football which takes us all the way up to St James’ Park where Newcastle United will look to move back into the top six in the table when they host West Ham United.
West Ham are only three points from the drop zone now and could really do with a result to ease a little bit of pressure on their shoulders so this is suddenly a pretty big game for both sides, which should ensure a competitive clash.
Where to watch
The match will be shown in the Monday Night Football programme which will be shown on the Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League channels. The show begins at 6.30pm and kick off at St James’ is at 8pm.
Newcastle United
It has been a slightly up and down season for Newcastle United in terms of results but to be fair to them they have lost a couple of matches that they have absolutely dominated so they could easily be much higher in the table than they are. Injuries to forwards have held them back a little but with no international break for four months they will be looking to build up a head of steam and get themselves sorted out for a shot at the top four.
Newcastle have generally been very good at home under Eddie Howe and that will build them with a lot of confidence heading into this match. They have already beaten Arsenal and Tottenham at St James’ Park this season and went into the international break off the back of successive wins and good showings. They will be pleased to have this game on the Monday night to allow those who were on international duty a few days extra to recover.
West Ham United
When West Ham United disposed of the services of David Moyes in the summer they would have been expecting to be much higher up the table than the middle of the bottom half let alone just three points off the bottom three. That immediately has new boss Julen Lopetegui under pressure and he could really do with a result here given the profile of this match, especially when you consider they have a tough game with Arsenal at the weekend.
The big issue that West Ham have is when they are beaten they offer little resistance. They have already been beaten by three goals on three occasions this season and really need to find a way to hang in games when they are under pressure. There is no doubt there are goals in this side, either in a possession based style or on the counter but that isn’t going to count for too much if they can’t keep the ball out at the other end of the pitch.
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Team News
Dan Burn will miss this match because injury and with Jamaal Lascelles, Sven Botman and Emil Krafth on the sidelines that isn’t ideal. Eddie Howe has suggested that Kieran Trippier could be involved but the game is likely to come too soon for Callum Wilson.
West Ham United will be pleased to have Edson Alvarez back on an evening where their defence is likely to be under a fair bit of pressure but they will be without the suspended Mohammed Kudus and the injured Niclas Fullkrug.
Betting
I would expect Newcastle United to win this match but there are just one or two too many players missing this one from a defensive point of view to be getting involved in them at around twos on. West Ham United have scored in every away game this season bar the one at Nottingham Forest but the Tricky Trees had only conceded seven goals in nine games when West Ham went there and the Hammers were reduced to 10 men on the stroke of half time.
If West Ham can keep 11 men on the pitch this time then in the likes of Jarrod Bowen, Crysensio Summerville, Lucas Paqueta and so many others they have the quality in attacking areas to score goals but they have already shipped three at Forest and four at Tottenham this season so when it goes wrong it goes spectacularly wrong. Newcastle can run up the score against anyone but they are not completely watertight so I’m expecting goals in this one. There have been 17 goals in the last three meetings between these two so I don’t think it is asking too much for the over 3 to land here.
Tips
Back Over 3 goals for a 3/10 stake at 1.90 with Bet365
