WEST Ham United are in the midst of a desperate fight to haul themselves out of the bottom three of the Premier League.
The Hammers, currently in 18th spot with 36 points, are in a relegation scrap with 7th-placed Tottenham Hotspur, who have 38 points.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s side will take on Newcastle United today, knowing that they cannot afford to lose...or even draw.
A win will be significant, especially if Spurs fail to beat out-of-sorts Chelsea on Wednesday.
Having narrowly lost 1-0 to Arsenal last week, after having a last-minute equaliser disallowed, the Hammers should have extra motivation to bring the fight against Newcastle.
They would of course have to play much better, given their poor away form this season.
The Hammers have only won four times, lost nine and drawn five times while on the road in this campaign.
Their last away victory was in March, against Fulham, while their most recent away match was a 3-0 loss to Brentford.
West Ham have also conceded 32 times and only scored 18 while playing away from home.
With only two games left to go in the season, Espirito Santo must somehow improve his side’s fortunes, if they are to avoid joining Burnley and Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Championship next season.
As for Newcastle, their European dream is hanging by a very thin thread.
Currently in 13th spot with 46 points, the highest they could go in the table, should they win their remaining two matches, would be eighth with 52 points.
Mathematically, they could still qualify for the UEFA Conference League, but it would be very complex and simply no longer in their control.
Firstly, Manchester City must beat Chelsea in the FA Cup, which is still possible, to open up the eighth spot for the Conference League.
Secondly, all teams that are above Newcastle, which included Brentford, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham and Sunderland, would have to lose their matches, which does seem unlikely.
Eddie Howe’s side has been poor and inconsistent this season, due to various factors, but mainly because of injuries and fitness issues.
They have also failed to keep a clean sheet in 21 of their last 22 matches.
Their aim now would be to finish in the top half of the league to secure more prize money.
Both the Magpies and West Ham have been quite evenly matched in the last few years, but it is the Hammers who hold the upper hand in recent times.
Given both sides’ recent struggles, their upcoming encounter should be an interesting match, even for the neutrals. — By IVAN LOH
