Newcastle United meet Crystal Palace at St James’ Park as both teams look to consolidate their top ten challenge.
A win for Newcastle could move them above Palace and possibly into eighth, should Wolves lose at Norwich.
Palace meanwhile could temporarily go as high as sixth with victory if Sheffield United and Wolves were to lose elsewhere.
Team news
Embed from Getty ImagesJonjo Shelvey could return for Newcastle after missing last weekend’s defeat at Burnley with a calf strain.
Miguel Almiron also missed the trip to Turf Moor through injury and could return but Ki Sung-Yeung and Karl Darlow are out with undisclosed injuries.
Jamaal Lascelles (leg), Ciaran Clark (calf), Allan Saint-Maximin (hamstring) and Matt Ritchie (ankle) are also sidelined.
Crystal Palace could be without Scott Dann due to an ankle injury but he will be subject to a late fitness test, alongside Patrick van Anholt who is nearing a return from a muscle injury.
Mamadou Sakho is serving the last of a three match ban and could return on Boxing Day.
Gary Cahill and Joel Ward are out with knee injuries along with Jairo Riedewald (hip), Jeffrey Schlupp and Andros Townsend (both groin).
Form
Newcastle saw a three match unbeaten run (W2, D1) ended last weekend at Burnley, but have scored in each of their last five home games, including two goals in each of their last three home outings.
Palace enter this match on a four match unbeaten run with two wins and draws apiece, whilst taking eight points from their last five away trips.
Stat Attack
- Newcastle are unbeaten in four of their last five meetings against Crystal Palace (W2, D2, L1).
- Palace have never won consecutive trips to St James’ Park in 25 previous visits.
- Newcastle haven’t lost consecutive games against Palace since a run of three losses between August 1971-September 1972.
- Palace’s Jordan Ayew is yet to score with his left foot this season, having done so on one occasion last season.
- Jonjo Shelvey is the only Newcastle player to have hit the woodwork more than once this season, doing so on two occasions.
Prediction
Both teams currently are in the grip of an injury crisis at the worst possible stage of this season, so I am not expecting much of a thriller here because a point apiece would be more valuable in the long run.
Newcastle however have found decent home form in recent weeks so they should edge this somehow because both teams will try to deliver a good job with whatever team is fielded.
Prediction: Newcastle United 1-0 Crystal Palace
Result: Newcastle United 1-0 Crystal Palace