Tyneside Tussle: Newcastle v West Ham

The Magpies are an enigma. Their home form is scorching – they score in every game! But away from the friendly confines of St James’ Park, they’re a leaky mess. Conceding like a broken dam (seven goals in nine!)

The Hammers mirror Newcastle’s woes at the back, with clean sheets becoming a distant memory. We can light up the scoreboard, as evidenced by our Europa League win, but our inconsistency is frustrating.

This game hinges on which team can overcome their biggest weaknesses. Can Newcastle exploit their home advantage and keep the goals flowing while tightening up their defence? Or can West Ham’s attack overpower Newcastle’s leaky backline, or will their own defensive frailties cost them?This is a clash where both teams are walking a tightrope. Newcastle needs goals and a clean sheet, while West Ham needs to rediscover their defensive solidity without sacrificing their attacking prowess.

Both Newcastle and West Ham are desperate for European football. This is a six-pointer, and the tension will be thick in the Tyneside air. Goals on rival territory have been particularly difficult for West Ham to come by in recent times, and a fresh concern with the fitness of Kudus will do the Irons no favours whatsoever in that regard.

Four of West Ham’s last six away matches in all competitions have seen Moyes’s men draw a blank in front of goal, and they have gone winless in their last four Premier League matches with Newcastle, requiring an 89th-minute intervention from Mohammed Kudus to rescue a 2-2 draw back in October.

I fear a difficult afternoon awaits.