Chris Sutton predicts ‘really good’ West Ham United vs Newcastle United result against YouTube star KSI
Chris Sutton has predicted West Ham will lose at home to Newcastle this week in what he expects to be a “really good game”.
In his predictions for BBC Sport on 5 October the pundit claimed it would be “close” at the London Stadium on Sunday (8 October) but after Eddie Howe’s side beat Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League he has decided to go for the “hottest” team.
Sutton has tipped a 2-1 away win to the Magpies while his opponent this week, YouTube star KSI, has predicted the game to end in a goalless draw.
Sutton said: “My old mate Charlie Adam came on the Monday Night Club a few weeks ago, saying he wondered whether Newcastle would get a point in their Champions League group, but they have done a bit better than that already.
“Wednesday’s win over Paris St-Germain was a hell of a result and Eddie Howe’s side are absolutely flying at the moment.
“West Ham were another team in European action on Thursday as they went to Freiburg so we will have to see how they contend with that, but this has the makings of a really good game.
“The Hammers have started the season well too and are above Newcastle in the table, and this feels like it will be close… but I am going with the team in the hottest form.”
KSI’s verdict was: “These two teams are quite similar – defensively they are both decent and hard to break down. Newcastle will probably have a lot of possession, but West Ham won’t care about that – they will just sit deep and soak it up.
“Newcastle will try to find some inspiration from somewhere, but this could be another one without any goals.”
Heavyweight
Since it is impossible to include Chelsea in a list of top teams based on their struggles over the past year West Ham have so far come up short in the biggest games this season.
Back-to-back defeats to Manchester City and Liverpool didn’t see the Hammers blown away, but it would be a statement of intent to right that record with a win this weekend over Newcastle.
The rousing Champions League game aside their league form hasn’t been stunning and they currently sit behind the Irons in eighth, but when an 8-0 result is factored in, as well as knocking Pep Guardiola out of the League Cup since their last defeat, they will likely be a tough challenge.
If Nayef Aguerd is selected by David Moyes it would help if he can avoid making a crucial error this time, after the Moroccan was criticised by his manager for Julian Alvarez’s goal for City, and then conceded a penalty at Anfield.
The defender proved to be the match-winner in Freiburg on Thursday night so that may have settled him, while Jarrod Bowen continues to go from strength to strength and has now been recognised by Gareth Southgate with an England call-up.
In other West Ham news, a baffled journalist claims Moyes “had a go” at him in an odd episode in Germany.