West Ham plays Newcastle at St James’ Park in a critical Premier League relegation match on May 17, 2026. West Ham sits in the final relegation spot, two points behind Tottenham, who face Chelsea later Tuesday night [1, 2].
West Ham needs a victory to potentially move above Tottenham. Their last win came on April 25 against Everton, marking a six-week winless run [2]. Newcastle holds 13th place in the table with little at stake this season but will look to finish strong [2].
Newcastle drew their last match away at Nottingham Forest and won their previous home game against Brighton, showing mixed recent form [2]. The club made two changes from their previous match, including Kieran Trippier making his final appearance at St James’ Park before leaving the club [1].
West Ham plans to disrupt Newcastle’s midfield by forcing them wide and using quick counterattacks led by Jarrod Bowen and Brennan Summerville [1]. On Newcastle’s side, midfielders Bruno Guimarães and Sandro Tonali are expected to control play against West Ham’s three-man midfield [1].
West Ham’s recent form has been hampered by a controversial VAR decision against Arsenal, which denied them a late equaliser after ruling the goalkeeper was fouled in the build-up [2].
The match will play a key role as West Ham aims to avoid dropping further into the relegation zone with only a few games remaining in the season [2]. Meanwhile, Tottenham’s result against Chelsea later on Tuesday will determine how much pressure West Ham faces.
Newcastle and West Ham clash on May 17 with relegation survival on the line for West Ham and pride for Newcastle fans in the final home appearance of Kieran Trippier [1].
