Steve Bruce recalls Jonjo Shelvey to his Newcastle United starting XI

Steve Bruce’s side take on West Ham United this afternoon looking to pull away from the relegation zone.

Bruce, Newcastle’s head coach, is without suspended midfielder Sean Longstaff, who was sent off in last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers at St James’s Park. Isaac Hayden, back from a three-game ban, returns to the team.

Shelvey, a boyhood West Ham fan, also replaces Matty Longstaff in Bruce’s starting XI, while fit-again Andy Carroll is on the bench against his former club. Carroll had missed the Wolves game with a groin problem.

Asked about his team’s lack of goals, Bruce said: "The (front) three are all still settling in. Maybe (Miguel) Almiron has had longer than Joelinton and Allan Saint-Maximin. Yes, we’re aware of it, and we have to improve on it, but I think we’ll get there."

West Ham manager Manuel Pellegrini said: “Newcastle have played a lot of difficult games against the big teams. They’ve had some good results. They’re a good team with a manager who knows his work, and they have good players.”

Newcastle are 17th in the Premier League table with nine points from their first 10 games. West Ham are 10th in the league with 13 points.

WEST HAM UNITED: Roberto, Zabaleta, Balbuena, Diop, Cresswell, Rice, Yarmolenko, Noble, Snodgrass, Felipe Anderson, Haller. Subs: Martin, Lanzini, Sanchez, Fornals, Ogbonna, Fredericks, Ajeti.

NEWCASTLE UNITED: Dubravka, Yedlin, Fernandez, Lascelles, Clark, Willems, Hayden, Shelvey, Almiron, Saint-Maximin, Joelinton. Subs: Darlow, Krafth, Dummett, M Longstaff, Atsu, Gayle, Carroll.