A year ago, West Ham and Newcastle sat 18th and 10th in the Premier League table, respectively, seven games into the season; this time around, they rank 7th and 8th while also blazing happy trails in European competition.
[ WATCH: Premier League on Peacock ]
The Hammers improved two 2W-0D-0L in their Europa League group with a 2-1 victory over Freiburg on Thursday, on the back of a 4W-1D-2L start to their PL campaign (compared to 1W-1D-5L last season). The two defeats? To Manchester City and Liverpool. A win over Newcastle on Sunday would go nicely with their 3-1 triumphs over Brighton and Chelsea back in August. Not a bad résumé that David Moyes’ side is putting together.
“I don’t think we are setting targets but the idea is to stay up and around the big boys,” Moyes said this week. “To keep competing and challenging them, which I think we have done — we’ve given Liverpool and Manchester City good games.”
Newcastle have rebounded nicely after losing three straight — to tricky (and common) competition, in Man City, Liverpool and Brighton — beating Brentford, Sheffield United and Burnley their last three times out. But, the crown jewel of Eddie Howe’s side’s season so far is undoubtedly the 4-1 thrashing they gave to PSG in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, putting them atop the gauntlet that is Group F and extending their unbeaten run to six games across all competitions. Lucas Hernandez’s goal, which amounted to nothing more than a footnote on the night, snapped the Magpies’ 525-minute clean sheet streak, which began back on Sept. 2.
How to watch West Ham vs Newcastle live, stream link, time
Kickoff: 10 am ET, Saturday (Sept. 16)
TV channel: Peacock
Online: Watch via NBCSports.com
Focus on West Ham, injury news
OUT: Aaron Cresswell (hamstring), Benjamin Johnson (groin) | QUESTIONABLE: Michail Antonio (groin)
Focus on Newcastle, injury news
OUT: Sven Botman (knee), Anthony Gordon (suspension), Joe Willock (thigh), Harvey Barnes (foot) | QUESTIONABLE: Callum Wilson (hamstring), Joelinton (thigh)
