Date: 18th January Venue: Upton Park Kick off: 3:00pm West Ham host Newcastle United in their first Premier League home game of 2014.
Team News
James Tomkins is missing for the Hammers as he serves a one-match ban after being sent-off in the club's 2-0 victory against Cardiff last weekend. Kevin Nolan is also absent, sitting out the final game of his four-game suspension. Winston Reid (ankle) and Guy Demel (concussion) will definitely miss Saturday's encounter, but Ravel Morrison (groin) and James Collins (calf) could return. Newcastle will have to contend without captain Fabricio Coloccini, who has a thigh injury. Full-back Mathieu Debuchy is suspended.
Key Stats
Sam Allardyce's West Ham are struggling for form at the moment, having won only one of their last seven games. Newcastle themselves are also misfiring in the league, with Alan Pardew's team currently on a three-game losing streak. In the last three encounters between these two sides only one goal has been scored, but the Magpies have lost just once in their last seven trips to Upton Park. Newcastle have not drawn an away league match all season, picking up five wins and five loses so far.
Likely Line-Ups
West Ham - Jaaskelainen; McCartney, Johnson, Diarra, Rat; Noble, Taylor, Downing, Collison, Jarvis and Cole Newcastle - Krul; Yanga-Mbiwa, Taylor, Williamson, Santon; Tiote, Cabaye, Anita, Sissoko, Gouffran and Remy.
Match Preview
West Ham go into this clash hoping to build on their important victory against fellow relegation-strugglers Cardiff last weekend. The win provided some much need respite for Allardyce, who has come under scrutiny following a 5-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup and a 6-0 defeat to Manchester City in the first leg of their Capital One Cup semi-final. Newcastle, despite their 8th place position, have also been stuttering in the league. Pardew's side have not won since Boxing Day, finding the net only once in three straight defeats. The Magpies were unlucky to go down to Man City last weekend, with Cheick Tiote controversially having a goal ruled out when the game was poised at 1-0. Despite a spirited effort, it was another loss and Pardew will be determined to pick up an away win if Newcastle are to reinforce their credentials as European challengers. The outcome of this match could well be determined by the Hammers' returning players, specifically Andy Carroll and Ravel Morrison. Carroll's absence, in particular, has caused Allardyce serious headaches in the attacking department. In his cameo appearance last week, we saw just how influential Carroll can be. For that reason his former club will have to beware. Both sides are really struggling for form at the moment, but West Ham appeared to turn a corner last weekend and they may just be good enough to knick all three points. Prediction: 1-0 source - bbc sport
Simon is an NCTJ qualified sports journalist. He has conducted interviews with Tony Adams and Peter Shilton, while also having work published in The Daily Telegraph and The Sun. Follow him on Twitter via @sr_collings.
