English Premier League – Match Preview: West Ham United versus Newcastle United
Both the Uniteds from London and Tyneside respectively are set to face each other in their ninth league match of the season as the English Premier League weekend approaches after a week full of European competition. It has been
an eventful season for West Ham in the Premier League thus far, it is not as if they have been firing on all cylinders but their form has recently picked up after a torrid start to their league campaign.
Avram Grant’s appointment in the summer transfer window as their manager is starting to look like a good decision now but his work at Upton Park is far from over as West Ham are still 20th out of the 20 teams in EPL.
West Ham began their league season with a four nil loss to Aston Villa at the Villa Park before going on to lose by three goals to one to Bolton Wanderer’s in their first home game of the season. The defeat to Owen Coyle’s Bolton
side was followed up with a loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford.
After suffering three defeats in their first three matches of the English league, West Ham’s manager, Avram Grant looked like a favourite for the bookies to be the first manager in the 2010-2011 season to lose his job. Grant’s
odds took a turn for the worse as his team lost their next match as well to Chelsea at Upton Park by three goals to one.
However, West Ham’s form took a positive turn as they drew their next game against Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium. The draw against Stoke gave West Ham their first point of the season as they had lost all of their previous
games.
Grant’s men gained confidence from their draw against Stoke and in their next Premier League match, the Hammers gained a crucial one goal to nil win over their derby rivals, Tottenham Hotspurs. West Ham’s last two games in EPL
have both ended in draws for the London side. In their seventh match of the league against Fulham F.C, West Ham managed to secure a one all draw and in their eighth match, they drew against Wolverhampton Wanderers with the same score line.
On the other hand, Newcastle United have been going through a horrible patch of form. They have not won in their last five matches in the English Premier League and it will stay that way if they don’t improve on their previous
performances as they get ready to face West Ham United. Newcastle’s last league match was against an average Wigan Athletic side at the DW Stadium.
The match saw Charles N’Zogbia, Wigan’s star midfielder pull his team to a two all draw against the Magpies. Currently, Newcastle United occupy 16th place in Premier League with just eight points from eight games. They
are also only two points above the relegation zone which presently includes the likes of Liverpool, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Newcastle’s best result of the season so far has been their home win against Aston Villa, in their second league match. The six nil win over the Villains has been the highlight of their season thus far. Despite the fact that they
are above the relegation zone, Newcastle will be wary of the fact that a loss to West Ham United can pull them straight down into the mire come Saturday.
As the match is taking place at Upton Park, West Ham are definitely favourites to win this one. No doubt that this encounter would be a six pointer for both the teams who will be aiming to stay in the English Premier League for
another season by finishing out of the relegation zone, come the end of season in May of 2011.
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