Alexander Isak has been named in Newcastle United‘s starting lineup for this evening’s Premier League clash with West Ham United at the London Stadium.
The prolific Swede limped off a few minutes before the end of the 90 minutes in last weekend’s 2-1 FA Cup fifth-round loss to Brighton & Hove Albion, but Eddie Howe affirmed on Friday that he was only suffering from fatigue and tightness.
Isak, who has scored 19 goals in 24 Premier League games this season, is fit to retain his place in the starting lineup, while Howe has made a total of three changes elsewhere.
Anthony Gordon is serving the first of his three-match suspension after he was sent off in the loss to Brighton, and the winger has been replaced in the Magpies XI by Harvey Barnes, while Jacob Murphy completes the front three.
Nick Pope returns in goal, replacing Martin Dubravka, while a back four of Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn and Valentino Livramento remains intact.
Bruno Guimaraes is also recalled and will captain Newcastle in centre-midfield alongside Joelinton and Sandro Tonali.
Meanwhile, 17-year-old Sean Neave is named on the substitutes’ bench for a Premier League game for the first time and is one of three forward options available in reserve along with Callum Wilson and Will Osula.
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Paqueta returns to West Ham squad as Potter named unchanged lineup
As for this evening’s hosts West Ham, Graham Potter has decided to name the same starting lineup for the third consecutive game following victories over Arsenal (1-0) and Leicester City (2-0), most recently beating the latter 11 days ago.
Alphonse Areola remains between the sticks and is protected by a three-man backline of Jean-Clair Todibo, Max Kilman and Aaron Cresswell, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Oliver Scarles start again as wing-backs.
Tomas Soucek, Edson Alvarez and James Ward-Prowse will once again link arms in centre-midfield, while captain Jarrod Bowen will be supported in attack by Mohammed Kudus.
West Ham have been boosted by the return of Lucas Paqueta to the matchday squad as the Brazilian has recovered from an ankle injury that forced him to miss the previous two matches.
Paqueta is available for selection even though the threat of a lengthy ban is looming, as the playmaker’s hearing into alleged betting breaches gets underway later this month; the FA are reportedly seeking a lifetime suspension for West Ham’s No.10.
Meanwhile, West Ham striker Michail Antonio will be in attendance at the London Stadium for the first time since a horrific car crash in December.
West Ham United starting lineup: Areola; Todibo, Kilman, Cresswell; Wan-Bissaka, Soucek, Alvarez, Ward-Prowse, Scarles; Kudus, Bowen
Subs: Fabianski, Emerson, Mavropanos, Rodríguez, Soler, Paqueta, Luis Guilherme, Ings, Ferguson
Newcastle United starting lineup: Pope; Trippier, Schar, Burn, Livramento; Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Barnes
Subs: Dubravka, Krafth, Targett, Longstaff, Miley, Willock, Sanusi, Osula, Wilson, Neave
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