Sam Allardyce looks likely to take charge of his final match as West Ham United boss on Sunday as the Hammers travel to former side Newcastle United, who could be relegated.

With his contract at Upton Park set to expire next month, the former Magpies boss is expected to be informed on Monday his services will not be required next season as the club heads into its final campaign at the Boleyn.

Appointed in 2011 with a remit of returning West Ham to the top flight following relegation, Allardyce has come under increasing scrutiny in the second half of the season as the Hammers failed to build on an encouraging first which had seen them in the Champions League places at one stage.

The club’s hierarchy and Allardyce have all been at pains to state no decision will be announced until after the final game of the season and with the end looming, the manager’s future finally looks set to be resolved one way or another.

However, the 60-year-old still has one final Premier League fixture to oversee and it comes against the side who sacked him after just 24 matches in charge.

Allardyce was removed by Mike Ashley in January 2008 – to be replaced by club icon Kevin Keegan – after seventh-month spell in the St James’ Park hot-seat in which he won eight games.

The Magpies are perched precariously just above the relegation zone and after rivals Sunderland’s goalless draw at Arsenal on Wednesday, it is a straight shootout between the North East outfit and Hull City, who currently occupy the final undecided relegation spot, to avoid the drop.

With nine defeats and a draw from their last ten, Newcastle’s form rivals West Ham’s for disappointment in recent weeks, though the east Londoners have at least picked up two victories over the same period.

The good news from a Newcastle perspective is direct relegation rivals Hull must travel to Manchester United, themselves in the hunt for third place and automatic Champions League qualification, in their final fixture.

Since John Carver succeeded Alan Pardew – on a caretaker basis at first before being handed the reins until the end of the season on New Year’s Day.

The former Toronto FC boss has won just two of 19 games, leaving the Magpies two points above the drop zone.

West Ham will be without James Collins so Reece Burke could deputise for the Welsh international once more. James Tomkins is available, however, after returning from injury.

Carver is expected to be without five players for the game, including Steven Taylor (calf), Cheick Tiote (knee), Massadio Haidara (knee), Jak Alnwick (wrist) and Rob Elliot (thigh).

Siem de Jong and Adam Armstrong are both doubts.