John Carver unsure if Mike Ashley will attend Newcastle’s relegation battle

• Carver says: ‘I don’t know if Mike will be there’ for vital match v West Ham
• Newcastle manager has Mike Williamson available after suspension
• Manager had claimed Williamson had been deliberately sent off at Leicester
• Carver reminds his Newcastle players about the cost of relegation

Newcastle’s owner Mike Ashley has stayed away from his side’s games in recent weeks as the club has become involved in a fight to avoid relegation.

John Carver does not know if Mike Ashley will be at St James’ Park on Sunday to see Newcastle United attempt to stay in the Premier League.

A regular face in the crowd earlier this season, the club’s owner has stayed away in recent weeks as Carver’s side have plummeted down the table.

Should Hull City win at home against Manchester United, Newcastle will also require victory against West Ham United to avoid dropping into the Championship, and the mood on Tyneside is expected to be suitably tense.

Fans are planning a protest against Ashley’s ownership after the final whistle, annoyed by his reluctance to bolster a weak squad and his failure to appoint a stronger manager than Carver when Alan Pardew left at new year.

“I don’t really know whether Mike will be there or not,” said Carver, whose team have taken only one point from their past 10 games. “He wasn’t at QPR last weekend and he still got some stick, didn’t he? It wouldn’t bother me at all if he came, but if he doesn’t come I’m sure he’ll phone me beforehand. If he does come, I’m sure he’ll come and see me before the game. But I can’t decide what Mike’s going to do.”

Carver must decide whether to recall Mike Williamson following the centre-half’s two-game suspension for a sending-off at Leicester that Carver claimed was deliberate before the player issued a statement denying the allegation.

The pair have since made up but it remains unclear whether the manager really trusts Williamson. “I’ve shaken hands with Mike,” said Carver. “It’s forgotten. I’m like that. I can fall out with someone one day and be their best friend the next Look at Craig Bellamy. I don’t hold a grudge and that’s important. I’ll say what I have to say, as I did with Mike but then I’ll clean the slate.

“But it’s going to be important to pick the kind of characters that can handle the game. Being able to handle the situation is going to be absolutely crucial. It’s important that the players can deal with whatever is thrown at them

.” The game is spiced by the fact that Sam Allardyce, West Ham’s manager, was once in charge of Newcastle, the visiting midfielder Kevin Nolan used to captain the Magpies and Neil McDonald – Allardyce’s assistant – is a former St James’ Park full-back and a good friend of Carver’s.

“Neil’s sent me a text but I’ve not even replied to him,” said Carver, who is assessing whether his leading scorer Papiss Cissé has recovered sufficiently from knee surgery to start in attack. “Neil’s my mate but I’m not interested in West Ham and Sam.” Whatever the result, one thing is certain, Newcastle will not be carrying out an end of season lap of honour. “Lap of what?” said Carver. “I’ve not even considered it.”