Hello everyone. Welcome to live coverage of Newcastle vs West Ham from St James's Park.

West Ham hitting long balls for Piquionne at the moment. Not the most imaginative play by the visitors.

Newcastle definitely the better side. West Ham still not offering very much.

Ben Haim, who is walking a tightrope, tugs at Gutierrez one too many times and the referee gives Newcastle a free kick on the left wing. Ben Haim will find himself in the book if he's not careful.

Piquionne gives the ball away and Newcastle make him pay. Tomkins loses an aerial challenge after Newcastle hoisted it forward and the ball falls to Lovenkrands on the edge of the box, who just lofts it into the path of Best, who finishes well with left foot to the far post.

GOAL! Leon Best makes it 1-0 to Newcastle

Great play by Enrique who darts into space on the left and attempts to chip Rob Green from a tight angle. Green palms it over his own bar and concedes a corner.

Scott Parker bursts through a gap in the Newcastle defence and hits a very good effort from the edge of the box that Harper can only parry away. Best chance of the game so far.

Kovac chops Gutierrez down and that's the clearest yellow card you'll see.

Tiote skips past Piquionne and sends a good low effort just wide of Rob Green's left post.

Parker releases Piquionne with a perfect throughball but Piquionne is just offside.

Freddie Sears stretches his legs down the West Ham right but he is met with a crunching tackle by Nolan.

An even start so far. Neither side settling into their rhythm.

Chance for Newcastle! Barton whips in a left-footed cross from the right which finds Leon Best in space in the box, but he heads it wide. Should have hit the target.

Jose Enrique bursts forward with a marouding run, he lays it off to Nolan on the edge of the box, but the Newcastle captain is unable to control it.

Ben Haim cynically hacks Gutierrez down and Newcastle have the first free kick of the game, inside their own half.

Mike Dean gets the game underway.

The players are emerging from the tunnel and we are a few moments away from kick off.

NEWCASTLE: Harper, Simpson, Steven Taylor, Coloccini, Jose Enrique, Barton, Nolan, Tiote, Gutierrez, Lovenkrands, Best. SUBS: Krul, Williamson, Guthrie, Routledge, Perch, Ranger, Ferguson. WEST HAM: Green, Ben-Haim, Tomkins, Upson, Gabbidon, Sears, Parker, Kovac, Noble, Piquionne, Cole. Subs: Boffin, Reid, Barrera, Spector, Behrami, Hines, Obinna. Ref: Mike Dean.

The teams are in...

Newcastle and West Ham have met 115 times in the league. Newcastle have won 45, West Ham 37 and there have been 33 draws.

Meanwhile, fit-again West Ham midfielder Mark Noble, who came off the bench against Wolves, wins a recall to the starting line-up.