Kieran Trippier will be back in the Newcastle United squad for tonight’s 8pm kick-off at home to West Ham.
The right-back hasn’t featured since he limped off in our 0-0 draw at Everton in October, where he suffered a hamstring injury 20 minutes from time. However, after missing our last five league games and coming through training over the past week, he’ll return to the squad tonight for the first time in six weeks.
It remains to be seen if Callum Wilson will be back in the matchday squad – a lot will depend on how he looked in training over the weekend – but four defenders ruled out include Dan Burn (suspended), Emil Krafth (collarbone), Sven Botman (ACL) and Jamaal Lascelles (ACL).
Burn’s one-game ban comes after he picked up his fifth yellow card in our 3-1 win at Nottingham Forest two weeks ago, meaning Lloyd Kelly will partner Fabian Schar at centre-back.
As for the Hammers, they will be without £65m dup Mohammed Kudus and Niclas Fulkrug. The Ghanaian is banned following a recent red card appeal was rejected, while Fulkrug remains absent through injury after struggling with fitness since arriving from Borussia Dortmund over the summer.
Predicted XI: Pope – Livramento, Schar, Kelly, Hall – Longstaff, Guimaraes, Willock – Gordon, Isak, Joelinton.
