Exactly four weeks on from our 3-0 win over Wolves earlier this month, Premier League football is finally back at St James’ Park as Newcastle take on West Ham in today’s 12.30pm kick-off.
Here’s the team we’re expecting Eddie Howe to go with and why:
Predicted XI: Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Lascelles, Burn; Bruno, Longstaff, Willock; Almiron, Isak, Gordon.
I can see three changes from the side that lost 2-0 to Man City in that FA Cup quarter-final two weeks ago, seeing Kieran Trippier and Miguel Almiron replace Sven Botman and Jacob Murphy.
I expect us to revert back to a 4-3-3, seeing Lascelles partner Schar at centre-back, Burn at left-back, a midfield three of Bruno, Longstaff and Willock in Miley’s absence and Miggy to return to the front three alongside Isak and Gordon.
There’s arguments for Livramento to start if he’s shrugged off a knock and Barnes could come back into contention, but I think we’ll see Burn keep his place and Almiron back in the side.
