Key events
Today’s match officials
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Referee: Rob Jones.
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Assistants: Ian Hussin and Wade Smith.
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Fourth official: Darren Bond.
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VAR: David Coote.
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Assistant VAR: Eddie Smart.
These teams: Newcastle right-back Kieran Trippier has not returned from injury and is not in the matchday squad, leaving Tino Livramento in the starting line-up. Jamaal Lascelles comes in from the cold and takes over from Sven Botman. Harvey Barnes returns after a two-game absence and sits on the home side’s bench. Bruno Guimaraes starts for Newcastle but continues to walk the disciplinary tightrope – the Brazilian midfielder is only one yellow card away from being banned for two games.
With Edson Alvarez suspended, his place will be taken by James Ward-Prowse, meaning Kalvin Phillips will have to make do with a place among West Ham’s substitutes. At his side will be Maxwel Cornet, who returned after six games.
Lineups between Newcastle and West Ham
Newcastle: Dubravka, Livramento, Lascelles, Schar, Burn, Longstaff, Bruno Guimaraes, Willock, Jacob Murphy, Isak, Gordon.
Subs: Dummett, Ritchie, Barnes, Krafth, Karius, Hall, Almiron, Anderson, White.
West Ham: Areola, Coufal, Mavropanos, Zouma, Emerson Palmieri, Ward-Prowse, Soucek, Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, Kudus, Antonio.
Subs: Fabianski, Johnson, Cresswell, Phillips, Cornet, Ings, Ogbonna, Earthy, Mubama.
Early team news
West Ham will be without Edson Alvarez for today’s game as their Mexican midfielder will sit out this Naughty Step game after picking up his tenth yellow card of the season. Mohammed Kudus has reportedly fully recovered from a knee injury, while West Ham’s medical staff are monitoring the fitness of Lucas Paqueta and Vladimir Coufal.
Newcastle have been without central defender Sven Botman for around nine months after he tore his cruciate ligament. The Dutchman had aggravated a pre-existing injury he sustained earlier in the season while playing against the advice of the club’s doctors.
Midfielder Lewis Miley is also on Newcastle’s lame and absentee list after suffering a back injury while playing for the England Under-20s and is expected to be out for six weeks. Callum Wilson, Nick Pope and Joelinton are also left out. Better news for Mags fans is that Harvey Barnes, Kieran Trippier and Tino Livramento could all return today.
This week it was revealed that Sandro Tonali, who is currently serving a 10-month global ban imposed by the Italian Football Federation for breaching betting regulations, is now facing new charges against the Football Federation which could result in his ban being extended.
Eddie Howe has asked the FA not to throw the penalty at his midfielder, pointing out that Tonali has a gambling problem which he is addressing and has already been adequately punished. While it’s obviously in Howe’s best interests to get the Italian back as quickly as possible, it’s difficult to disagree with him on this score.
Premier League: Newcastle vs West Ham
After a two-week break, the Premier League is back and continues with a thrilling clash between Newcastle and West Ham at St James’ Park.
In tenth place and with just 10 games left, Newcastle can still qualify for the Europa Conference League and will move within a point of seventh-place West Ham with a win today. A win for West Ham would push Manchester United down to sixth place after two games more.
In the corresponding game at the London Stadium in October, the two teams ended in a 2-2 draw, with West Ham salvaging a point thanks to a superb late goal from Mohammed Kudus. Kick-off in Newcastle is at 12:30pm (GMT), but in the meantime stay tuned for updates and team preparations.
