This weekend West Ham United will be welcoming Newcastle to The London Stadium as they look to improve their form and end their five-game winless run. The Irons will be favourites for the clash given the Magpies’ struggles this season, but it’s still a game that needs to be won.
Sean Longstaff was sent off for Newcastle in the club’s last game and is now suspended, whilst The Evening Standard have delivered the news that Andy Carroll is injured, but whilst these stack up in West Ham’s favour, work still has to be done to get the three points come 3pm on Saturday afternoon.
Whilst Newcastle have got their issues with their starting eleven going into this one, the side that the Irons will go into this one with is equally up in the air. The likes of Felipe Anderson and Manuel Lanzini are both struggling for form and could be dropped, but we’re focusing on who should start at the back.
Against Sheffield United, Manuel Pellegrini opted to drop Angelo Ogbonna and bring Fabian Balbuena in from the start, and this time around it should be the Italian who comes back into the side given his impressive performances this season.
The former Juventus centre-half has played a lot more minutes than Balbuena this season, but weighing up their stats per 90 minutes, Ogbonna still comes out on top. The Italian has averaged more aerial duels won, tackles, clearances and blocks per 90 than Balbuena (WhoScored), and this weekend he has to start.
Both of the defenders are capable and have got the talent to hold the line for West Ham, but given Ogbonna’s game time and sharpness this season, having him lining up and marshalling Joelinton seems like a much safer bet than going into it with the South American Balbuena.
