Eddie Howe and his Newcastle side are still likely to be flying high after their epic Champions League victory over Paris Saint-Germain during the week.
Domestic duties take precedence again this weekend and the standard of opponent doesn’t get any easier for the Magpies.
David Moyes’ West Ham side have been brilliant for the most part in 2023/24 both in the Premier League and in the Europa League.
Their win at Freiburg during midweek meant that they set a new record for English teams going unbeaten in Europe, breaking the previous best run that had stood since the 1970s. Their 16 victories in 17 games plus one draw will take some beating, and hints at the size of the task awaiting Howe and his squad.
Newcastle, meanwhile, have only conceded one in their last six games in all competitions, and that was the consolation that PSG managed on Wednesday. Their last away game, ominously for the Hammers, saw them savage Sheffield United and leave Bramall Lane with an 8-0 win.
Howe won’t expect to get anywhere close to another cricket score, and he’s acutely aware of the threat that West Ham pose.
“They’re an obvious threat from set-plays with James Ward-Prowse’s delivery and everything that he brings so that’s why, for us, it’s a case of refocussing and not being too distracted or affected anyway by the performance on Wednesday,” he said at his pre-match press conference, detailed on the official Newcastle website.
A Premier League classic with two teams willing to play on the front foot awaits.