The Magpies head for West Ham this evening hoping to end a run of three Premier League games without a victory and having only just avoided a third successive defeat at St James' Park with Fabricio Coloccini's late equaliser against Wigan last Saturday. By contrast, their form on the road has been creditable since an opening weekend defeat at Manchester United, with the only other blemish a 2-1 defeat at Manchester City - during which three key decisions went against them - in the wake of a win at Everton and a draw at Wolves. However, while Hughton acknowledges that visiting teams have made life difficult for his men on Tyneside, he knows that is where the bulk of their points must be collected. He said: "What I certainly don't want to do is put any pressure on our home performance. "But what we have found is that teams have come and set their stall out to make it difficult to play and play the way we would like at home. "There are pluses and minuses with playing away from home. It is a different game. "It is a little bit more open because the emphasis is more on the home team to push for a victory, but you are playing away from home and you have all the elements to deal with from that aspect. "Certainly, what I wouldn't want to see is a team that is more comfortable playing away from home than it is at home. "It is something we have to address, and I am aware that it can be the slightest thing that changes things - the next home performance is a very good home performance and then the thought process on the way we go about our business at home changes. "It can be the slightest thing, but certainly I wouldn't want us to be known as a side that has a fear of playing at home." The Hammers are unbeaten in five games in all competitions, and Hughton is under no illusions about how difficult a challenge his team will face. He said: "We expect a very tough game. They are in good form at the moment. They are a side in a similar position to where we are, so the game will be as big for them as it is for us. "This is what we have to contend with week in, week out - this quality of game and this difficulty of game. "But we have to look at the positives and we have been good away from home this season. "It's a tough away game, but I am quite sure if we go into the game with the same focus and determination we have done in our previous away games, then we will give ourselves a chance."
