Confirmed West Ham starting XI and team news v Newcastle United
West Ham have made two changes to their starting XI for the Premier League clash with Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon.
Aaron Cresswell and Arthur Masuaku drop out from from the side that beat Leicester City 3-2 at the London Stadium last Sunday, with David Moyes selecting Angelo Ogbonna and Ben Johnson in their place.
Confirmed on their official Twitter account prior to kick-off, the Irons are expected to line up with a three-man central defence with Coufal and Johnson as wing-backs.
Ogbonna was injured in February’s FA Cup clash with Manchester United and he has missed eight games but he is welcomed back into the starting XI for today’s clash after the Irons conceded seven goals in their last three games.
It will be Johnson’s first start since March 14.
Meanwhil Cresswell was withdrawn early in the second-half v Leicester after suffering a hamstring injury and he is out of the squad.
Masuaku also misses out on the matchday squad but Manuel Lanzini returns to the bench after missing the last two games.
Declan Rice and Michail Antonio remain longer-term absentees.
Only a win will do
After two winless games versus Manchester United and Arsenal we’ve got ourselves back on track with successive 3-2 victories over Wolves and Leicester City to surge back into the Champions League places.
We’re now in fourth, one point behind third-placed Leicester and one point in front of Chelsea, so the difference right now is minimal.
The likes of Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are also amongst the chasing pack so we simply have to dispatch a Newcastle side that are battling relegation, especially with a clash versus Chelsea on the horizon.
Steve Bruce’s team have had a horrific season despite starting it in fine fashion with a 2-0 win at the London Stadium.
They are 17th but they have improved of late, with just one defeat in their last six, and they come into Saturday’s game with renewed confidence after beating Burnley last week.
Newcastle are finally on the up but this should be a simple win for the Irons given the 23-point gap between us.
In other West Ham news, David Moyes delivers major West Ham fitness boost ahead of crucial run-in.