EVERY point is precious for West Ham United as they battle against Premier League relegation and David Moyes' men will need to be at their best to take anything from Newcastle as the in-form Magpies come calling.
Moyes admitted the points mattered more than the performance on Sunday after watching his players grind out a 1-0 win over Southampton to move one point clear of the drop zone.
But the Hammers will need to turn in a much better display to stand a chance against Newcastle, with Eddie Howe's team hitting top form again as they chase a place in next season's Champions League.
Newcastle have responded superbly to the crushing blow of losing to Manchester United in the League Cup Final, reeling off three successive victories to move up to third in the Premier League table.
They avenged that Wembley loss by beating Manchester United 2-0 at St James' Park on Sunday, busting the coupon of our man Mark after he tipped a draw.
A raucous home crowd played a big part in helping Newcastle topple the Red Devils but the Magpies now have three games on the road, with this clash followed by games against Brentford and Aston Villa.
If Howe's team can come through that run of games with a haul of at least six points then they will be bang in the hunt for a top-four finish heading down the home straight.
How the bookies view it
With Newcastle United in such good form, they are favourites for a win in this one at 23/20 with Ladbrokes. West Ham United's best price is 27/10 at SpreadEx while the draw pays 5/2 with QuinnBet.
Recent head to head
West Ham United have edged this fixture in the last five seasons, winning three times and losing twice. The other three matches have ended level, including a 1-1 draw when Newcastle last came to the London Stadium.
Players to watch
Jarrod Bowen looked lively against Southampton on Sunday and was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet. The West Ham forward is 9/2 at William Hill for anytime scorer here which is a bit overpriced.
It's probably no co-incidence that Newcastle's winning run has coincided with striker Alexander Isak getting a proper run of games. The Swede is starting to show why the Magpies spent so much money on him and is 2/1 for anytime scorer.
Anything else catch the eye?
I'd be surprised if this was an open game as Moyes will be wary of getting caught on the break by Newcastle's speedy forwards. That makes the half-time draw a good option at 23/20 with Unibet while McBookie price a one-goal winning margin for either side at 5/4.
Allan-Saint Maximin seems to be back to his best for Newcastle and caused Manchester United plenty of problems on Sunday. Unibet price the French winger at 19/20 just to have a shot on target and that looks good value.
With West Ham United in desperate need of points, I fancy them for most cards and that bet pays 6/4 with Bet365.
This English Premier League match between West Ham United and Newcastle United will be played on Apr 5, 2023 and kick off at 20:00. Check below for our tipsters best West Ham United vs Newcastle United prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
