Eddie Howe has offered a mixed update on his squad ahead of Newcastle's crucial clash with West Ham United at St. James' Park this weekend. The Magpies are set to host the relegation-threatened Hammers in a match that carries significant weight for the visitors' survival hopes, while Newcastle look to end their home campaign on a high note.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday morning, Howe confirmed that Lewis Hall is fit and available after training fully this week. However, the news wasn't as positive for Brazilian midfielder Joelinton, who is now a doubt with a slight thigh problem. "We've got a doubt over Joelinton, who has a slight thigh problem, so we'll assess him in the next couple of days," Howe revealed.

The Newcastle boss also took time to praise Kieran Trippier ahead of what will be his final appearance at St. James' Park this season. "I think he's definitely deserving of that recognition," Howe said. "The actual decision to come here in the first place needs to be celebrated because he's gone from a team that was hugely successful in Spain to a team that was fighting relegation in the Premier League. Everyone said it was financially motivated initially, but I can tell that it wasn't. It was a host of reasons, and only Kieran can discuss those, but certainly financial wasn't one of them—it was the challenge of returning."

With the campaign winding down and only a trip to Fulham remaining after this weekend, Howe stressed the importance of giving the home supporters something to cheer. "It's massive for us. There's no part of me that thinks any different. It's the last home game of the season, and it's really, really important from our perspective that we finish the season with a positive feeling and show our supporters how important every game is to us. We pride ourselves on that."

Howe added that his squad has trained hard and well throughout the week, and he wants his players to focus on their own performance rather than the opposition's predicament. "There'll be no part of our preparation that will be any different. We've trained every day this week, we've trained hard, we've trained well. I'm pleased with how the players look. We've been competitive, and we need that competitive edge. We have to do ourselves justice first and foremost, without thinking about anyone else."