Newcastle need a home win over West Ham at St. James’ Park on Saturday if they want to keep their European hopes looking reasonable (Watch live at 8:30am ET on USA Network, streaming online via NBC.com).
The 10th-place Magpies are four points behind the seventh-place Irons, and claiming four of six points from the season series with West Ham would give Eddie Howe’s men strong footing in the fight for a European berth.
WATCH NEWCASTLE vs WEST HAM LIVE
Newcastle have been eliminated from all other competitions and their only hope of continuing their run in Europe is a workable 10-game run-in that starts with home matches against West Ham and Everton.
West Ham, meanwhile, are unbeaten in four-straight Premier League matches, though the last two matches were home draws to Burnley and Aston Villa. The Europa League quarterfinalists are two weeks away from their first leg at mighty Bayer Leverkusen, and would love to enter that tie with some wiggle room above midtable.
How to watch Newcastle vs West Ham live, stream link and start time
Kick off: 8:30am ET Saturday
TV Channel: USA Network
Stream online: Watch live on NBC.com
Newcastle lineup
Dubravka; Livramento, Lascelles, Schar, Burn; Longstaff, Guimaraes; Willock, Murphy, Gordon; Isak
West Ham lineup
Areola; Coufal, Mavropanos, Zouma, Emerson; Ward-Prowse, Soucek; Bowen, Paqueta, Kudus; Antonio
Newcastle focus, team news
The Sven Botman injury will ask a lot of old hands Jamaal Lascelles and Fabian Schar, while the midfield is still hampered with Lewis Miley joining long-term absences Joelinton and Sandro Tonali on the sidelines. Can Bruno Guimaraes outshine good friend and countryman Lucas Paqueta in the midfield, and will that be enough?
OUT: Sandro Tonali (suspension), Callum Wilson (chest), Joelinton (thigh), Nick Pope (shoulder), Sven Botman (knee), Lewis Miley (lower back) | QUESTIONABLE: Kieran Trippier (calf), Harvey Barnes (thigh), Tino Livramento (ankle)
West Ham focus, team news
West Ham won’t have El Tri star Edson Alvarez but will feel good about their midfield if Mohammed Kudus passes his fitness test. Jarrod Bowen was once an often-mentioned target for Newcastle and could really pose a problem for the Magpies back line.
OUT: Edson Alvarez (suspension) | QUESTIONABLE: Maxwel Cornet (hamstring), Mohammed Kudus (knee)
