- Newcastle are 13th in the Premier League with 46 points from 36 games.
- West Ham are 18th in the Premier League with 36 points from 36 games.
- The last H2H saw West Ham win 3-1 at home in the Premier League six months ago.
Howe’s men have a head of steam
Newcastle’s recent form has been patchy, with just one win, one draw and three defeats across their last five Premier League matches. They’ll be looking to bounce back with a win on Sunday though, and our Newcastle vs West Ham prediction will focus on whether they can build on their recent 3-1 home win over Brighton & Hove Albion and a 1-1 away draw at Nottingham Forest last weekend.
The Magpies have been a very good side to watch under Eddie Howe this season, as he has overseen a high-tempo, vertical style of play that sees his team pressing aggressively to win the ball back and create chances.
This has seen the Magpies score 33 goals in 18 home Premier League games, and the likes of William Osula, who has scored three of Newcastle’s last six, and Bruno Guimaraes (27 appearances, nine goals) have been in fine form.
Howe’s style does leave the team open at the back at times though, and Newcastle have dropped points on the road more than they should have this season due to these lapses in concentration and focus.
West Ham’s season has been a disappointment
West Ham United have also had a disappointing season, and their back-to-back defeats - a 3-0 loss away to Brentford and a 1-0 defeat at home to Arsenal, mean that they’ve now won just two of their last five games.
Nuno Espírito Santo’s side are a completely different beast to Newcastle, preferring a more compact mid-block and a more organised defensive setup. This Newcastle vs West Ham preview makes it clear that West Ham are less likely to walk up and press opponents than Howe’s side, instead opting for selective pressing triggers and fast transitions.
Jarrod Bowen has eight goals and four assists in 36 Premier League appearances this term; West Ham have been less threatening going forward but they have been harder to play through.
Konstantinos Mavropanos has chipped in with two goals in West Ham’s last five games.
A good game on the horizon
Newcastle will be on the front foot on Sunday, and they’ll give the West Ham defence a tough time. The Hammers are likely to be more organised than the hosts though, and their compact style of play could see them keep this close. However, West Ham have won just four, drawn five and lost nine of their 18 Premier League away games, and the home side should just edge it with the Newcastle vs West Ham prediction suggesting a narrow win.
With an average of 2.0 goals per-game across the last five H2Hs at St James’ Park, the hosts should be able to maintain their average. The visitors average 2.5 goals per-game as visitors in those H2Hs, so a high-scoring clash seems likely. This Newcastle vs West Ham prediction is pointing toward both teams to score with plenty of goals in this game - both sides have been involved in plenty of exciting encounters recently, and they should put on a show for the neutral. For those looking at the betting angle, our Newcastle vs West Ham betting tips will focus on the likelihood of goals and both teams finding the back of the net.
