Miserable West Ham record Newcastle United must extend

West Ham United’s troubling away form faces another stern test as they prepare to visit Newcastle United at St James’ Park on Monday night. The stark contrast between their last successful away day of 2023 – a impressive 2-0 victory at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium – and their current traveling struggles tells a story of declining fortunes on the road.

The Hammers’ away record in 2024 makes for grim reading, with just three victories from 17 attempts across all competitions. Under both previous manager David Moyes and current boss Julen Lopetegui, their only Premier League away success this season came at Crystal Palace in August, a 2-0 win against an Eagles side that has struggled to maintain their previous season’s standards under Oliver Glasner.

This downturn in away form represents a significant challenge as they head to a Newcastle side that has turned St James’ Park into a fortress. Eddie Howe’s men have lost just twice at home in 2024, with only Manchester City in January and Brighton recently managing to secure victories on Tyneside.

Lopetegui acknowledges the magnitude of the task ahead but refuses to seek excuses. “It’s true that on paper this is a tough challenge,” the Spanish manager stated. “For one, it is on a Monday, in a tough environment, but I don’t want to make excuses. We have to be ready to play on any day of the week, and I think this is a good opportunity to show how competitive we can be.”

The timing of this fixture is particularly crucial as both teams enter a congested period of fixtures. Lopetegui emphasized the importance of this period, noting, “We know things are going to get busy now at the end of November and going into December, and it is a key time because we have a lot of matches in quick succession.”

Despite West Ham’s away day blues, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe won’t be taking anything for granted. The Hammers still possess considerable offensive threats in Jarrod Bowen, Lucas Paqueta, and Michail Antonio, though they’ll miss the suspended Mohammed Kudus following his recent disciplinary issues against Tottenham.

Looking back at West Ham’s away victories in the latter half of last season provides little comfort, with only two successes – against struggling sides Everton (3-1) and Wolves (2-1). This represents a significant decline for a team that has shown they can compete with the Premier League’s elite, as evidenced by that Arsenal victory that now seems so long ago.

The contrast between West Ham’s home and away performances has become a defining feature of their season. While they’ve managed to maintain relatively steady form at the London Stadium, their struggles on the road have prevented them from building the kind of momentum needed to challenge for European places.

For Newcastle, this presents an opportunity to extend their impressive home record and pile more pressure on a West Ham side desperately seeking to rediscover their away day formula. The Magpies’ own strong home form, combined with West Ham’s traveling troubles, suggests this could be another difficult evening for Lopetegui’s men.

However, football’s unpredictable nature means West Ham could view this as the perfect opportunity to make a statement and begin reversing their away fortunes. Lopetegui certainly seems to believe in his squad’s potential, expressing confidence in their quality to achieve the desired results.

As Monday night approaches, both teams know the significance of this fixture in their respective campaigns. For West Ham, it’s a chance to break their away day curse, while Newcastle aim to maintain their formidable home record and continue their push for European qualification.