TEAM NEWS

New signings Jonjo Shelvey and Henri Saivet may make their Newcastle debuts, while Rolando Aarons and Emmanuel Riviere are back after injuries.

Siem de Jong, Kevin Mbabu and Papiss Cisse are all out, while Cheick Tiote will not feature as he is negotiating a move to Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua.

West Ham trio Victor Moses, Cheikhou Kouyate and Mauro Zarate are fit again.

But the Hammers are without Manuel Lanzini, Diafra Sakho and Andy Carroll for the trip to St James' Park.

Carroll suffered a hamstring injury in midweek and is expected to be sidelined for between four and six weeks.

MOTD COMMENTATOR'S NOTES

Conor McNamara: "'They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger - and it did nearly kill me.' That's how Steve McClaren recounts his duel with Slaven Bilic at Wembley in 2007.

"Croatia denied England a place at Euro 2008 and covered themselves in glory. McClaren, infamously, covered himself with a brolly.

"Newcastle secured their survival in May by beating West Ham. Now, after five games without a win, they are once again in danger of being washed away by the relegation tide.

"Regardless of the strength of downpour - whether it rains or floods - you certainly won't see McClaren reach for an umbrella during this game."

Twitter: @ConorMcNamaraIE 

WHAT THE MANAGERS SAY

Newcastle head coach Steve McClaren: "West Ham are solid, with good balance and have four or five attackers who can impact a game. That's why they are doing well.

"I admire and respect Slaven Bilic a lot. He came into a difficult job at a difficult time but has settled straight away.

"We've got to start turning the corner and following up one good result with another one."

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic: "Are we favourites now to finish in the top four? We are not. But nobody can take the hope and the belief out of you.

"My philosophy in life is that there is nothing wrong with being confident, optimistic or positive. For me, on the contrary, you have to be like that if you want to get any chance to make it, whatever you do in your life.

"If you go to take a driving test and you say 'I can't do it', of course you're going to fail. If you're approaching a girl in a nightclub and you think she's going to tell you off and all that, no chance."

LAWRO'S PREDICTION

After the stick I've been getting from West Ham fans over my predictions, I should probably go for them to win 8-0.

In the past few seasons I have annoyed Southampton  and Swansea  fans by tipping them to lose, but I have never had supporters chanting my name over a prediction before, like the Hammers fans were doing at the end of their win at Bournemouth on Tuesday. 

Probably the only way I can upset anybody this time is by saying it is going to be a draw, so that is what I'm going for.

Prediction: 1-1

Lawro's full predictions v Creed stars Jordan & Bellew

• Think you can do better than Lawro? Predict the score for this match and the rest of this round's Premier League fixtures in our Predictor game.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Newcastle have only lost one of the last 12 home league meetings (W6, D5).
• West Ham have won two of the last three encounters, including a 2-0 triumph at Upton Park in September.

Newcastle United

• Newcastle have drawn a league-high five matches at home this season.
• The Magpies scored more than twice in a Premier League game this season for only the second time against Manchester United on Tuesday night.
• Georginio Wijnaldum's eight Newcastle goals have all been scored at home.

West Ham United

• West Ham have won their last three league matches and are unbeaten in their last eight (D5).
• Their win at Bournemouth on Tuesday was their first in six away games (D3, L2).
• Only Leicester and Arsenal have won more away league games than West Ham's five this season.
• Dimitri Payet has scored or set up more goals for West Ham in all competitions this season than any other player (six goals, five assists).