Credit: Imago
Thu 30 October 2025 20:30, UK
Eddie Howe might have the chance to rotate his squad when Newcastle United line up to face West Ham at the London Stadium.
Newcastle beat Fulham 2-1 before knocking Tottenham out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, 29 October, with the Magpies 12th in the Premier League and now into the quarter-finals of a competition.
It has been a rather weird campaign for Howe’s team so far, having won just one of their first six matches in all competitions, but recent form has been far more positive.
On the other hand, West Ham are still sinking under Nuno Espirito Santo, even after the departure of Graham Potter, and supporters in East London are pointing fingers at the hierarchy.
Credit: IMAGOWest Ham could target Dan Burn at the London Stadium
One of the Hammers’ brightest sparks has been Jarrod Bowen, unsurprisingly, and he could cause a lot of damage when the two sides meet in the Premier League on Sunday, 2 November.
He would likely be up against Dan Burn, who, according to WhoScored (20 October), has lost the most aerial duels of any other defender in the top division of English football.
There is absolutely no debate that the 33-year-old is better as a standard centre-back, rather than being shifted wide, but Howe has been left with very little choice in recent weeks.
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Injuries have left the Magpies spread thin. Tino Livramento remains sidelined next to Lewis Hall and Yoane Wissa, but the manager might have been handed a lifeline ahead of their trip to the London Stadium.
Lewis Hall could return to face West Ham
According to the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope (30 October), there is a 50/50 chance of Hall making the bench in East London following a quicker-than-expected return from a hamstring injury.
While it is unlikely to remove Burn from the starting lineup, it would certainly stop the Hammers from hitting back late on in the game, with Hall’s fresh legs potentially available.
In addition to offering fresh legs, he is clearly more suited to the left-back role than Burn and is more likely to diminish the Hammers’ biggest threat in Bowen.
Howe would never badmouth Burn, especially given his impact in the final third due to his height, but there is no fan who would disagree with Hall being a better option at left-back.