Newcastle United v West Ham United: Key stats and talking points
BBC Sport examines some of the key themes before Sunday's match (17:30 GMT), with West Ham needing a win to move out of the relegation zone. Newcastle's draw at Nottingham Forest last weekend followed a frustratingly familiar script. Harvey Barnes' 74th-minute strike put them ahead at the City Ground but former Magpie Elliot Anderson equalised with just two minutes remaining.
Eddie Howe's team have now dropped 27 points from winning positions this term, at least seven more than any other Premier League side, while their total of 20 goals conceded from the 75th minute onwards is also the highest figure in the top flight. Magpies' mediocre home form This is Newcastle's final home game of the season and it appears increasingly doubtful the Toon Army will see reported Bayern Munich target Anthony Gordon in a black and white shirt again. Howe admitted on Friday that the winger is not being picked "with a partial view to the future".
The head coach also stressed it is important Newcastle "finish the season with a positive feeling". Strong home form has been the foundation of the Magpies' improvement under Howe but there has been a noticeable drop-off in the current campaign. They are averaging 1.
61 points per game at St James' Park, comfortably lower than in any of his previous full seasons in charge, losing seven times. The last time they lost as many as eight league matches at St James' Park was in 2020-21, under Steve Bruce. [BBC] Wasteful finishing hurting Hammers West Ham felt aggrieved that VAR denied them an equaliser in Sunday's 1-0 defeat by Arsenal, with the Hammers finishing empty handed in a game they could conceivably have won.
Mateus Fernandes missed a golden chance to put his side ahead in the 78th minute, with his close-range shot saved by David Raya. As a result, they trail relegation rivals Tottenham by two points with two games remaining. But with Spurs' match against Chelsea not until Tuesday, Nuno Espirito Santo's side can move out of the relegation zone – and pile pressure on their London rivals – with a win on Tyneside.