- Newcastle are tenth, three places and four points behind West Ham
- The sides drew 2-2 when they met at the London Stadium in October
- Recommended bet: Bruno Guimaraes To Have 2 or More Shots

Newcastle need to hit the afterburners if they are to bank a return to European football next season, and they certainly need to beat rivals West Ham.

The Hammers are still in Europe - they have a Europa League quarter-final tie with Bayer Leverkusen to look forward to - but their pressing concern is staying in the hunt for a first top-five finish since 1999.

Team news

Centre-back Sven Botman looks to have been joined on the treatment table by Lewis Miley.

Eddie Howe was already without Nick Pope, Joelinton and Callum Wilson so will be hoping Kieran Trippier, Tino Livramento and Harvey Barnes are available.

David Moyes is missing Edson Alvarez to a ban which means either James Ward-Prowse or Kalvin Phillips tucks in alongside Tomas Soucek. 

Mohammed Kudus is also a doubt meaning Danny Ings could start with Michail Antonio shifted to the flank in a 4-2-3-1 set-up.

The stats

Both teams have scored in each of the last six meetings between these sides, producing a total of 25 goals.

Newcastle’s last ten league games have produced three goals or more. The Toon top the goals-per-game table with an average of 3.8.

Howe’s side are the only top-flight team yet to be trailing at half-time in a home game.

West Ham have won only two of their last ten Premier League matches.

Prediction

Goals are part of Newcastle’s make-up and the expectation is plenty of them in this showdown with West Ham.

It was 2-2 when they met in October, a game of not many chances but four taken. And Newcastle have found the net in all but one of their last 14 matches and conceded in all but one of their last nine.

West Ham are not gung-ho on the road but look instead to strike on the counter and clearly Newcastle, with a weakened defence, do leave themselves exposed.

Because of how the game is likely to map out, with Newcastle enjoying far more possession, expect plenty of efforts on goal with Bruno Guimaraes taken to fire off at least two.

The Brazilian midfielder is the key figure driving the Toon along at the moment and Newcastle are far better when he is further forward and influencing the game in the final third. 

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