Joelinton Doubt Clouds Newcastle United Before West Ham News
West Ham news from St. James' Park starts with a selection question, not a lineup certainty. Eddie Howe said Joelinton is a doubt for Newcastle United's home match against West Ham United on Sunday after a slight thigh problem.
The Newcastle head coach said Joelinton will be assessed in the next couple of days. Lewis, by contrast, is fine and has trained this week, leaving Howe with one key fitness call before a match he called the last home game of the season.
Howe’s Friday morning update
Howe set the tone on Friday morning by stressing that Newcastle must keep their competitive edge. “There'll be no part of our preparation that will be any different. We've trained every day this week, we've trained hard, we've trained well. I'm pleased with how the players look. We've been competitive, and we need that competitive edge. We have to do ourselves justice first and foremost, without thinking about anyone else.”
He also said, “It's massive for us. There's no part of me that thinks any different. (It's) the last home game of the season and it's really, really important from our perspective that we finish the season with a positive feeling, and we show our supporters how important every game is to us. We pride ourselves on that.”
Joelinton and Lewis fitness
Joelinton’s thigh issue is the only squad doubt named in the update, and it lands at a point in the season when Newcastle are trying to finish strongly at home. Howe said, “We've got a doubt over Joelinton, who has a slight thigh problem, so we'll assess him in the next couple of days.”
Lewis, meanwhile, offers a cleaner option for selection after a full training week. Howe said, “Lewis is fine, he's trained this week. We've got no problems with his fitness.”
Trippier’s St. James' Park farewell
Howe also paid tribute to Kieran Trippier before his final game at St. James' Park. He said Trippier deserved recognition for joining Newcastle when the club was fighting relegation in the Premier League, then later playing “an unbelievable part” in the run to the Champions League the next season.
He added that Trippier was “magnificent” in the cup final win. For Newcastle, the match against relegation-threatened West Ham is the final home test before the season ends at Fulham next week, and the only immediate selection issue named by Howe is whether Joelinton can make it through the thigh check in time for Sunday at 5.30pm BST.
