Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Visit Shots! now
Newcastle United have arrived at the London Stadium ahead of Monday night’s match against West Ham United (8pm kick-off).
Eddie Howe faces some big selection calls for Newcastle as he looks to help his side get back to winning ways in the Premier League ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Liverpool at Wembley Stadium (4:30pm kick-off). The Magpies have lost three of their last four league matches and were beaten 2-0 by The Hammers in the reverse fixture back in November.
Four Newcastle players have already been ruled out for the game with Lewis Hall, Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles are out with injuries while Anthony Gordon is suspended for the trip. There were doubts over the fitness of Alexander Isak and Kieran Trippier after the duo were forced off last time out against Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup but Howe has since played the issues down with the duo training in the build-up to the trip to London.
But both Isak and Trippier were spotted getting off the team coach as part of the travelling squad to the London Stadium. Also with the first team was 17-year-old forward Sean Neave.
Newcastle United’s confirmed 20-man travelling squad: Pope, Dubravka, (Ruddy), Burn, Trippier, Targett, Livramento, Schar, Krafth, Longstaff, Guimaraes, Miley, Murphy, Joelinton, Barnes, Tonali, Willock, Osula, Wilson, Isak, Neave
NUFC XI: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Murphy, Barnes, Isak
Subs: Dubravka, Wilson, Targett, Krafth, Osula, Willock, Longstaff, Miley, Neave
Eddie Howe drops Alexander Isak hint
Speaking about Isak ahead of the game, Howe said: “He's fine. Sunday he came off, he was just feeling a bit fatigued, I think, towards the end of the game, a bit tight in his body, so we withdrew him.
“I'm just trying to think back to this week, but I think he's trained every day - he's good.
“Fingers crossed [he’ll play at West Ham], yeah. As I said, if he's fit, he'll play, because that's the best way to get him in the best physical condition for future games.
“Footballers are finely-tuned athletes, and when they're ready to play, they have to play, and we have to give them that opportunity. So, fingers crossed Alex will be fine.
“I understand the intense speculation and spotlight on him, but the best thing we can do is just relax and let him play his football.
“I think he's very, very motivated to score, I think that's one of the things that's so good about him. Same with Callum [Wilson], they've got that desire to score in every moment, every training session. Goal-scorers have that mentality, he's got it.”
Your next Newcastle United: 'Brilliant' 20-year-old set to join up with NUFC this summer