Eddie Howe has confirmed his missing five has become a big six ahead of West Ham as Newcastle suffer a mini crisis.
West Ham and Newcastle United go head-to-head in the Premier League on Sunday after big European games this week.
The Hammers are one point and one place above the Magpies in the table and could go level on points with fourth-placed Liverpool with a victory.
Newcastle have the small matter of a Champions League clash with PSG at St James’ Park on Wednesday night.
Meanwhile West Ham are away to German side Freiburg in the Europa League on Thursday.
Stars aligning for Hammers against Newcastle?
Yesterday Hammers News reported that Newcastle look set to have a host of key players missing for the trip to West Ham ahead of the latest international break.
In-form forward Anthony Gordon will definitely miss the game due to suspension after picking up a fifth yellow card of the season in the win over Burnley.
As one of Eddie Howe’s standout players so far this season, that is excellent news for the Hammers.
Harvey Barnes will also miss the game having been ruled out until the new year through injury.
Joe Willock is also out for Newcastle while key defender Sven Botman and West Ham bogeyman Callum Wilson are major doubts having both missed their last game.
Eddie Howe confirms missing five has become big six ahead of West Ham as Newcastle suffer mini crisis
Now Howe has confirmed the missing five has become a big six ahead of West Ham as Newcastle suffer a mini crisis.
Because Joelinton – the man he has transformed from a misfiring striker to a midfield powerhouse – is set to miss the Hammers clash too.
The Brazilian returned to the Newcastle side as a second half sub against Burnley. But he lasted just two minutes before coming off with what looks like a hamstring injury.
Speaking ahead of Newcastle’s matches against PSG and West Ham, Howe admitted it would be a huge blow as he confirmed the only player of the six who has a slight chance of facing the Hammers is Wilson.
‘That’ll be a huge blow’
“It looks like a hamstring and that’ll be a huge blow if we lose him (for an extended period),” Howe told Newcastle World.
“But we’ll wait and see.
“Callum’s got a very minor hamstring problem. We hope we’ll see him before the international break but there is no guarantee.
“Sven has a knee problem. I don’t think we will see Sven before the international break but hopefully, we’ll see him very quickly after.”
West Ham meanwhile look to have a clean bill of health after fears Jarrod Bowen has picked up anything more than a minor knock were allayed.
The news will undoubtedly come as a major boost for David Moyes as he looks for his side to maintain their excellent start to the season going into the international break.