After securing consecutive victories without conceding in the Premier League, West Ham is excelling under Graham Potter’s management. Despite initial struggles with four losses in his first six matches in charge, the team now stands a chance to achieve three consecutive league wins for the first time since 2023. A win against Newcastle would mark their first league double over the team in six years, following a 2-0 victory that notably occurred on a Monday.
With the bottom three teams performing poorly, it appears unlikely that West Ham will be dragged into a relegation battle, boasting a comfortable 16-point lead over the drop zone. However, concerns arise regarding their ability to reach the crucial 40-point milestone given their track record of losing most games against top-six teams, including all four home matches by significant margins.
Newcastle’s recent inconsistent performance in the past five matches (W2, L3) has hindered their quest for a spot in Europe, but they still hold control of their destiny. Eddie Howe, the Magpies’ manager, holds an advantage over both West Ham and their manager – only suffering one defeat against Potter (W3, D1, L1) and avoiding loss in 11 out of his last 13 encounters with West Ham (W5, D6, L2).
Facing two consecutive away defeats where they conceded six goals unanswered, Newcastle seeks motivation as they risk enduring three straight Premier League losses on the road without scoring for the first time since 2020/21. Additionally, plagued by injuries, Newcastle must also contend with the upcoming Carabao Cup final next week.
Key players to keep an eye on: Tomáš Souček netted the first goal in the initial half during West Ham’s recent game, replicating his performance from their previous encounter in November, where they secured a 2-0 win. On the other side, Newcastle’s Harvey Barnes has scored against West Ham more frequently than any other team, with six goals in ten Premier League matches.
Interesting fact: West Ham’s games in the Premier League have generated a higher number of shots (801) compared to any other team, averaging 29.67 shots per match.
