West Ham and Newcastle United featured as Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville delivered their predictions for the new Premier League season.
The first round of matches of the new Premier League campaign are now out of the way.
West Ham started life under new boss Julen Lopetegui with a 2-1 home defeat to Aston Villa.
But Newcastle managed a 1-0 win over Southampton despite playing with 10 men for much of the game.
The Hammers and Magpies are expected to be among the group of clubs competing for the European spots.
That has been the case for several seasons now, although both West Ham and Newcastle just missed out last season as they finished ninth and seventh respectively.
Carragher and Neville at odds over West Ham and Newcastle
Lopetegui is under pressure to combine style with substance at West Ham.
Eddie Howe has done an excellent job at Newcastle. But given the ambitions of the club’s mega rich owner, he too is under pressure to make Europe.
West Ham have been extremely busy in the transfer window, making eight signings and counting.
Newcastle have had to cut their cloth due to PSR losing top talents Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson and not making any significant captures thus far.
Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville have been making their predictions for the new season after the first round of matches.
Carragher explains West Ham for Europe ahead of Newcastle
When asked to name their ‘European contender’ outside the Champions League spots, Neville tipped Howe’s side.
But Carragher has explained why he’s backing West Ham for Europe ahead of Newcastle.
And he was challenged to explain his selection of the Hammers ahead of Newcastle.
“I think it will be a different style of football (at West Ham),” Carragher said on Monday Night Football.
“I don’t think it will be completely different, maybe the West Ham fans are sort of having this idea that maybe it will be this really open, expansive (style) I don’t think Lopetegui’s is that.
“But I do think it will be a case of trying to get on the ball more, trying to get (Lucas) Paqueta on the ball more, (Mohammed) Kudus as well we saw (play so well vs Villa).
“A bit of a disappointment to start the way they have but their actual recruitment this summer, I actually like some of the signings that they’ve made.
Carra not the first to warn about Lopetegui style
“But I’m saying a European contender, they were that under David Moyes, they won a European trophy so you know they’ve been there or thereabouts but I think it might be done in a different way, that’s what they want.
“I like Newcastle, I love Eddie Howe but I think they might just miss out on the European positions – like they did this year.”
Carragher is not the first pundit to back West Ham for Europe or be impressed by their recruitment.
He’s also not the first to sound a warning about the style of play Hammers fans can expect from Lopetegui.
Jamie O’Hara and Gabby Agbonlahor think West Ham will be a problem this season.
Ex West Ham striker Dean Ashton has been impressed with West Ham’s signings.
But he says that piles the pressure on Lopetegui and doesn’t believe he is the man to revolutionise the brand of football at the London Stadium.
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