Newcastle United aim to take three crucial points against West Ham in London tomorrow.
Newcastle United are enjoying their football at the moment and they are one of the hottest teams in the Premier League after taking an impressive 13 points from their last six matches. West Ham have been up and down with their form all season, but they are still in the top ten entering this weekend.
West Ham are essentially one win away from securing survival and they hope to achieve that goal by claiming the double over Newcastle. The Magpies are a few wins away from avoiding relegation and moving into the top ten. The primary motivation for Newcastle tomorrow will be to avenge their previous 3-0 loss against the Hammers.
What to Expect
Newcastle dominated their last two opponents – Huddersfield Town and Burnley – at St. James’ Park, completing 991 passes, creating 42 chances and scoring four goals in the process, but West Ham will be a difficult opponent. The Hammers suffered a minimal loss to Manchester City on Wednesday, convincingly defeated Fulham and drew 1-1 with both Crystal Palace and Liverpool in their last four matches.
Both sides have talented players who boast plenty of pace and have good vision, but this match will be determined by urgency. Rafa Benitez warned his players to remain focused despite their good form and to treat every game like a cup final. Key players like Miguel Almiron, Salomon Rondon and Sean Longstaff will be pivotal for Newcastle, and if they have big games then the Magpies will have a good chance of winning.
West Ham have been playing well defensively over the last few weeks, but the duo of Almiron and Rondon will surely be difficult to contain. Rondon is no longer dependent on aerial balls for goals with Almiron running alongside him. The former Major League Soccer star found ways to create chances against Watford, Huddersfield and Burnley, so West Ham need to track every move he makes on and off the ball.
Anything can happen tomorrow, but the most likely outcome will be a minimal victory for either side. Both teams are solid defensively and the duels in midfield should cause some frustration. A win for West Ham would secure their Premier League status, whereas a win for Newcastle would could see them go nine points clear of the drop zone.