Steve Bruce is set to take a big risk on three Newcastle United players in today’s season opener against West Ham United.
West Ham had looked set for an early boost when reports emerging from the Newcastle camp last weekend suggested star duo Callum Wilson and Allan Saint-Maximin would miss the match.
Newcastle have a habit of putting a spanner in the works for West Ham.
They beat the Hammers in the opening game of last season.
Revenge mission for West Ham after Magpies dented Champions League bid?
And defeat during the run-in ended up effectively costing West Ham a place in the Champions League with David Moyes’s side missing out by just two points in the end.
Newcastle striker Wilson is West Ham’s bogeyman. The ex Bournemouth striker has a ridiculous habit of scoring against the Hammers and admitted he couldn’t wait for the opening game when the fixtures were released.
Another Magpies danger man for West Ham is playmaker Saint-Maximin. When fit and on form the Frenchman is one of the most exciting players in the Premier League.
Saint-Maximin was said to be suffering from an ‘illness’ and has barely featured for Newcastle in pre-season or trained in recent weeks as a result.
Hammers had looked set for a boost with star Newcastle duo major doubts
“A player who relies so much on pace and energy, as well as trickery, it is now surely all but certain ASM won’t be starting against West Ham in nine days time,” The Mag reported last Friday.
West Ham tormentor Wilson has been nursing a hamstring injury and was also absent from from Newcastle training last week having missed the last two friendlies.
And The Mag seemed convinced Wilson would miss the game against West Ham.
“Even if making rapid progress next week in training, far too big a risk to throw Callum Wilson straight in after such an interrupted pre-season preparation, especially with the countless hamstring injuries the striker has had in the past,” The Mag added.
But speaking ahead of the game Bruce appeared to suggest both would be risked against West Ham.
Bruce to take risk on West Ham tormentors and rookie goalkeeper for season opener against old pal Moyes
“Aside from the goalkeeping situation, the only one out is Paul Dummett who won’t make it on Sunday,” Bruce said in his pre-West Ham press conference (Chronicle Live).
“Everyone else is fit and available.”
The goalkeeping situation Bruce alludes to is the fact he will also be risking rookie goalkeeper Freddie Woodman after confirming the 24-year-old will make his Premier League debut against West Ham.
With Martin Dubravka still not close to fitness after a foot operation in the summer and Karl Darlow recovering from Covid, Woodman gets the nod over Mark Gillespie to start against David Moyes’s side.
West Ham will be hoping they are three big risks that don’t pay off come kick-off at 2pm today.
In other news, Joe Cole sets West Ham fans straight over where his loyalties lie after Chelsea celebration.
And relief for West Ham as Newcastle fail in race against time.
Receive a digest of our best West Ham content each week direct to your mailbox
