The biggest order of business left in the Premier League with just one set of fixtures to play is who will join Burnley and QPR in getting relegated to Championship. Newcastle (9-9-19, 36 Points) is in good position to stay up right now, but anything less than a win against West Ham (12-11-14, 47 Points) puts it in a perilous position.
ODDS ANALYSIS
The Magpies will be through with a win or a draw or loss by Hull City on the final day of the season, so all eyes will clearly be on the KC Stadium as well while this match is going on.
Because of the magnitude of the fixture though, Newcastle is the heavy -140 moneyline favorite in spite of the fact that it is playing against a team which had European aspirations until a few weeks ago.
The total is high, as traditionally is the case in the last week of the Premier League at 3 (under -133).
KEY INJURIES
There's still time to get Adam Armstrong and Siem de Jong back in the lineup for this most important match of the season, but matters are starting to look grim for these two. We're also not sure about the status of Vurnon Anita, who was subbed off late against West Brom last weekend.
West Ham will continue to evaluate what it has with some of its younger players in this match, and it will be interesting to see who Sam Allardyce puts on the pitch in what is very likely his last match with the club. Andy Carroll and Guy Demel won't be on the pitch for sure for the Hammers.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"This weekend, regardless of the way we do it, only the three points count. It has been a complicated second half of the season. We're a lot less good than we were in the first half of the year." – Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko on the pressure his team faces in this fixture at home
RECENT FORM
Shaka Hislop, a former goalie and now a very notable soccer commentator came out and said that Newcastle can't beat anyone right now, and he has a point. The Magpies haven't won a match since February, and they have losses in nine matches out of 10.
West Ham is in the midst of the end-of-season lull that most mid-table teams have in the EPL. The Hammers have dropped two straight and have just one win since March 21, but they aren't in nearly the same dire position which Newcastle finds itself in.
TALKING TOTALS
Newcastle just can't score at the moment. The team has just seven goals since February 11, and that's why it has dropped from a mid-table team to one that all of a sudden could legitimately be relegated. The over is 4-1 in the Magpies' last five games though, because their defense against bad teams has been nothing to write home about either.
Last week's 2-1 result against Everton snapped a streak of five straight under matches for West Ham. The Stewart Downing strike early on in the match against the Toffees was just West Ham's second goal since April 11.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
There are all sorts of problems right now at Newcastle, not the least of which is the fact that the fans are ready to stage a sit-in whether the team gets relegated or not. The Magpies have turned record profits this season in spite of their struggles, and the fans are upset that that money has not been turned into better players.
In fact, a huge loan deal with Rangers at the end of the transfer window really killed the team's depth, and it has shown with all of the injuries at the end of the season.
West Ham isn't exactly in good form either at the moment, but we think that it can get a point out of this fixture. Most certainly take the +0.5 Asian handicap, and whether this is a win for the visitors or a draw, there will be tense moments watching the Hull match simultaneously.
Newcastle 1, West Ham 1
BookMaker has English Premier League lines for every match of the season. Newcastle is lined as a -140 moneyline favorite, while the total is set at 3 (under -133). You can make a futures bet and predict the champion, wager on head-to-head matchups or use BookMaker’s live betting feature to gamble while the match is happening.
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook! The fixture between Newcastle and West Ham is scheduled for Sunday, May 24, 2015, at 10:00 a.m. ET at St. James' Park. The match will be televised live on USA.
