Soucek has won 19 fouls across his 25 Premier League appearances this season (0.89 per 90). Graham Potter has recognised the advantage Soucek gives his side in the final third, West Ham have been playing with Kudus and Bowen as the two forwards in recent weeks but Soucek often breaks forward from midfield to join the attacking line which gives West Ham the option to go direct.

Soucek’s power and physicality naturally makes him a challenge for the opposition midfield, he’ll be up against Sandro Tonali who is averaging 1.59 fouls committed per 90 across his 25 Premier League appearances.

Soucek was brought down once in the initial meeting between the sides. Newcastle are averaging 10.4 fouls committed per game in the Premier League and committed 11 fouls in the initial meeting between these sides at St James’ Park.

West Ham are averaging 11.8 fouls committed per game in the Premier League this season, this record has increased in recent weeks as a result of Potter’s mission to make West Ham more solid at the back.

West Ham committed 12 fouls in their 2-0 win over Leicester last time out and also committed 15 fouls in their statement 1-0 win at the Emirates over Arsenal. This shows that West Ham are attempting to make themselves tougher to beat through being very physical in their approach against the opposition.

The initial meeting between these sides saw West Ham commit eight fouls but judging off recent performances and Potter’s main aim of making West Ham more difficult to beat, we should see a rise in the West Ham foul count here. The midfield battle could see a large portion of these fouls given that both sides will line up with midfield trios.

West Ham are likely to face a significant attacking threat in this game considering the fact that Newcastle have scored 22 goals on the road this season across their 14 assignments.

Despite this decent attacking output on the road, Newcastle also appear to be struggling to keep the opposition out. Eddie Howe’s side have conceded 21 goals on the road this campaign but have managed to avoid defeat in nine of these games. West Ham have scored 18 goals across their 14 games at the London Stadium this season, Potter has set out his side to be pragmatic in the early weeks of his reign but expect this change as he progresses in his role as head coach with Potter preferring a more fluid approach when he gets the right profiles for his system.

The initial meeting between these sides ended in a 2-0 win for West Ham when Julien Lopetegui was still in charge of the Hammers. Newcastle should have really found the back of the net in that game with 18 shots and an xG of 1.64 as well as two big chances and winning the corner battle (8-3). Newcastle have the attacking players to hurt this West Ham side whilst the Hammers have scored in six of Potter’s eight games so far.

Only Tomas Soucek (8) has been shown more cards than Edson Alvarez (6) for West Ham this season. The combative midfielder sits right at the heart of West Ham’s midfield trio and is averaging 2.13 fouls committed per 90 in the Premier League this season, an average that always gives him a chance of picking up a booking.

Alvarez will be up against Bruno Guimaraes who is one of the most consistently fouled players in the Premier League, Guimaraes is averaging 3.42 fouls won per 90 across his 27 appearances in the English top flight.

Guimaraes was fouled once in the initial meeting between these sides in which Alvarez didn’t feature. The midfield battle will be crucial in deciding the outcome in this game with a few cards for each side expected in this Monday night kick off.

West Ham will enter this game with confidence following back to back victories for the first time under Graham Potter. The Hammers forced four saves from Nick Pope in the initial meeting between the sides earlier in the season.

West Ham will also feel they have more of a mandate to take the game to Newcastle given recent performances but also with key absences affecting Newcastle at the moment including Hall, Joelinton and Gordon. Pope has had to make 57 saves across his 17 appearances in the Premier League this season (3.35 per game).

Soucek has been trusted in a more advanced role in this West Ham side with Potter recognising the advantage Soucek gives his side in the final third with his power and physicality as well as his brilliant aerial ability which offers West Ham a more direct path to goal.

Soucek has had 41 shots across his 25 Premier League appearances this season (1.91 per 90). He scored and had three shots on goal playing in a more advanced role in the initial meeting between the sides, he’s had a shot in four of his last five games in the Premier League.

West Ham are expected to line up with Bowen and Kudus as the two forwards in a 3-5-2 system but Soucek is the midfielder of the trio in the middle of the park that is given licence to push up the pitch and join the attack.