West Ham v Newcastle: Back Bowen & Barnes in 5/1 shots special with Betfair Link Ups | OneFootball

Build Ups

West Ham star Jarrod Bowen can be backed at 5/1 in Link Ups double with Harvey Barnes

Using Betfair's Build Ups, Paul Higham fancies Jarrod Bowen and Harvey Barnes to combine for a 5/1 shots on target Link Ups bet for West Ham v Newcastle...

West Ham v Newcastle

Link Ups - Sharp shooters to combine for 5/1 shot

We could have a decent game on Monday night as improving West Ham host Newcastle, who have a cup final coming up at the weekend but still need the points for their top four challenge.

So the Magpies can't hold back, but I fancy they'll get a rough ride at the London Stadium where the Hammers could make it an open game with plenty of shots - and that's what we're banking on as we use the Links Ups function of the new Betfair Build Ups specials on the Sportsbook.

We usually pit two players against each other, but this time we'll back Jarrod Bowen and Harvey Barnes to work together to bag us a 5/1 shot by combining for 4+ shots on target between them.

Barnes is playing in place of Anthony Gordon and with a start under his belt against Brighton last week should be getting up to speed, while Bowen is West Ham's captain, top scorer and main attacking threat.

Player vs Player

Bowen leads West Ham with 23 shots on target this season and averages just over one per 90 minutes played, but he crucially has had nine games with multiple shots on target, which is what we need from him on Monday.

Newcastle could be excused for having one eye on Wembley, and that usually tells in defensive concentration, so the conditions look perfect for a sharp Bowen to take advantage with one of those multiple shot outings. He's 5/2 for 2+ shots on target on the Sportsbook.

He's also got form against this Toon defence as he had two shots on target against them at St James' Park in November, and that from four efforts so plenty of volume even in the away fixture to make us confident he can fill his boots tonight.

Barnes is playing for a Wembley place and knows with Gordon out a big performance here could clinch it for him after largely being a sub all season.

He still has two games with multiple shots on target, and even with limited time and coming off the bench he's still managed a shot on target per 90 minutes played overall which is not bad at all - only Alexander Isak has a better rate in the Newcastle squad.

So we're backing Barnes to have that extra motivation to take advantage of Graham Potter's more open West Ham to hit the target once or twice - which the oddsmakers feel is possible as Barnes is 23/10 for 2+ shots on target - shorter than Bowen and fourth favourite in that particular market.

And the beauty of Link Ups is that there's no minimum requirement for both players to achieve - and with these two players in particular they have great upsides to them so the potential, at the price, looks very attractive.

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Back Bowen & Barnes to combine for 4+ shots on target @ 5/1