The return of Don, who has had a slight hamstring problem, and Steve, following an injection for an ankle injury, adds to the midfield options for Saturday - and could lead to Trevor Sinclair being switched to up front alongside Jermain Defoe.
Jermain grabbed a brace, of course, against Forest last week, and he reflects: "Everyone played well and to get two goals made it even better - but for me the most important thing is to work hard for the team.
"But it is vital to score goals as a forward, and it was a good feeling that I haven't had so much this year because things haven't really gone our way.
"I shall have to keep working hard and then my luck will turn around; it has been hard because I haven't had that many chances in games.
"We will see what happens, but hopefully things will change a little bit for us now, and we will get a bit of fortune - that is what we have been lacking.
"Maybe a couple of weeks ago that last goal of mine wouldn't have gone in.
"But the it is the Newcastle game we are focused on and the important thing now is to get a result - a win."
Jermain was an interested television observer when the Geordies were knocked out of the FA Cup by Wolves on Sunday, and he adds: "Hopefully we can beat Newcastle; watching their game against Wolves the other day makes me think there will be chances against them.
"As for us, the confidence is there and you can see it in training - it is just the same as last year, really with a good spirit."
As for the FA Cup fourth round draw pairing the Hammers with Manchester United away, Jermain - who knows what it feels like to score a winning goal at Old Trafford, says: "I don't mind, though I don't know how the rest of the lads feel!
"It is going to be tough, but it is one of the best places in the world to play and I am looking forward to it.
"The two goals so early up there in the league recently killed us because they just keep the ball and make it difficult for the opposition.
"But if we work hard together I don't see why we can't cause an upset like we did two years ago."
Tomas Repka begins a four match suspension - two games for the sending off against Fulham and two for reaching ten bookings this season.
Squad: James, Van der Gouw, Bywater, Forde, Dailly, Breen, Winterburn, Bowyer, Minto, Sinclair, Lomas, Carrick, Cole, Defoe, Pearce, Johnson, Hutchison, Sofiane, Camara, Cisse.