Newcastle United welcome Crystal Palace to St James’ Park for a huge Premier League clash, which could see the winner all but secure their survival.
A point currently separate these sides rooted firmly in the lower half of the league table, making this a six pointer because a poor run of form in coming games could easily suck one of these teams towards the drop.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesNewcastle United’s Fabian Schar is set to return to the starting eleven after sitting out their away defeat to Arsenal, with concussion picked up whilst on international duty with Switzerland.
Isaac Hayden, DeAndre Yedlin and Mohamed Diame all face late fitness tests after picking up various knocks during Monday’s defeat at Arsenal.
Sean Longstaff is their only long-term absentee with a knee injury.
Crystal Palace have no fresh injury concerns with Mamadou Sakho (knee) their only absentee.
Form
Newcastle enter this clash with just two defeats in their last seven of which came against London based clubs albeit away.
At home, the Magpies are on a five league match winning run, scoring 12 goals and conceding just three times during this run.
Crystal Palace arrive on Tyneside with just two wins from their last six across all competitions and ten points from their last six away games.
Stat Attack
- Newcastle have lost just one of their last 16 meetings with Crystal Palace across all competitions (W10, D5, L1).
- A goal here would mean that Andros Townsend has scored in this fixture at St James Park for both teams, having previously scored for Newcastle against Palace here in April 2016.
- Martin Dubravka has produced 35 high claims for Newcastle this season, a 62.9% increase on his 13 high claims from last season.
- Wilfried Zaha has already produced three assists this season for the Eagles, just as many as he managed over the entirety of 2017-18 season.
- Both teams have had two players sent off this season.
Prediction
Newcastle seem to like their home comforts so far in 2019 and with Palace currently in a rut, this is a winnable game for the Magpies in terms of not only survival but providing Rafa Benitez a reason to stay beyond next month.
The Eagles however play a nice pressing style of football so Newcastle will need to be careful when pushing, as the counter could be their undoing here.
A third consecutive draw between these teams therefore might be a likely outcome but a part of me fancies Newcastle to nick it.
Prediction: Newcastle United 2-1 Crystal Palace
Jake predicts: Newcastle United 2-2 Crystal Palace
Result: Newcastle United 0-1 Crystal Palace