West Ham vs Newcastle United Preview - Goal.com

WEST HAM Jaaskelainen Demel, Collins, Reid, O'Brien Vaz Te, Diame, O'Neill, Jarvis Nolan Carroll

NEWCASTLE Elliot Debuchy, S Taylor, Yanga-Mbiwa, Haidara Sissoko, Tiote, Cabaye, Perch, Gutierrez Cisse

West Ham can boast an almost clean bill of health, with only defenders George McCartney (knee) and James Tomkins (calf) sidelined with injury.

Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini has an outside chance of returning from a back injury, but Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa is likely to continue at centre-back. Meanwhile, Frenchman Sylvain Marveaux (groin) has an outside chance of featuring.

Longer term absentees include goalkeeper Tim Krul (shoulder), defender Davide Santon (hamstring) and Ryan Taylor (knee).

• Newcastle have gone 13 games without a 0-0 draw.

• Demba Ba remains joint top scorer for the Magpies this season with Papiss Cisse despite leaving for Chelsea in January.

• Alan Pardew's side sit 17th in the Premier League, five points ahead of Wigan, who hold a game in hand. The teams are level on goal difference, both on -23.

• Newcastle have scored 23 per cent of their goals this season from outside the box, 10 of their 43 overall.

• West Ham have only beaten the Magpies once in their last six meetings at Upton Park.

• The last time that the two sides met at Upton Park in 2010, Newcastle won 2-1 with goals coming from Kevin Nolan and Andy Carroll (pictured right), who both now represent the Hammers.

• Nolan and Carroll are West Ham's joint top scorers this season, having both scored seven goals in the Premier League. Carroll is 8/1 with Bet365 to score the first goal in this game.

• Sam Allardyce and Alan Pardew have also managed both teams.