Newcastle United entertain West Ham United in the early kick-off on the opening weekend of the Premier League.
Steve Bruce guided the Magpies to survival last season, though there were struggles along the way, and it could be another season battling near the bottom given the relative lack of investment until Joe Willock’s permanent move from Arsenal was finalised. David Moyes would love even one signing of that magnitude, after bemoaning a lack of recruits, having taken the Hammers to the brink of Champions League football last season before settling for a place in this season’s Europa League, while finishing above Arsenal and Tottenham.
And Jarrod Bowen is determined to make last season the new normal for West Ham: “What happened last season is done now. All our focus is on the new season. I feel like we will put in a good performance. Obviously, it’s the first game of the season and we want to get off on the right foot, but with what we did last season, we want to carry that form into the start of the season.
“It was obviously an unbelievable season for us to get 65 points and European football here. There was even talk at one stage about getting into the Champions League, which is a remarkable achievement for us coming from avoiding relegation the previous year. The Champions League wasn’t meant to be, but we still got Europa League, so it’s going to be good for me personally - something I have never experienced before. It’ll be really good to play in that and hopefully have a good run in it.”
Follow live updates, analysis and reaction from St James’ Park with early team news for the big game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as champions Manchester City travel to Tottenham:
