Newcastle United v West Ham: No goals at St James’ Park

After comfortably dispatching Cardiff City at Upton Park in their opening match, West Ham might be hoping to win their first two games of the season for the first time in 16 years at an out of sorts Newcastle.

However the Hammers scored the fewest goals on the road of any side in the top flight last year, and with Newcastle short of attacking options, a 0-0 draw is worth backing at 7/1.

West Ham scored 11 goals in 19 away games, with just six of these coming outside London, and they drew a blank nine times.

They did win 1-0 at Newcastle, but drew 0-0 with the Magpies at Upton Park near the end of the season.

Andy Carroll’s continued absence with injury will limit Sam Allardyce’s attacking options against the striker’s former club.

Allardyce is still on the lookout for a new forward, but will likely be forced to start Modibo Maiga, who scored just twice in the league last season.

Newcastle have yet to show any real ambition in the transfer market, and their one new attacking addition – Loic Remy – is sidelined with injury for the match.

Alan Pardew’s side failed to score in their last three home Premier League matches of last season, and looked equally blunt in the 4-0 loss to Man City in their first game this term.

Papiss Cisse found some form at St James’ Park in the closing months of last season, and he will be their main threat against West Ham, with the Senegalese striker priced at 5/1 to be the first goal scorer.

For West Ham, Kevin Nolan is 7/1 to open the scoring, as he did last season, but the likelihood is that neither side will trouble the scoreboard.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing

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