MY ACCOUNT
– Both of this season’s meetings finished 0-0 after 90 minutes
– Palace have not beaten a top-half team at home this season, but drew 1-1 with Man Utd
– Recommended Bet: Back the draw
Crystal Palace aim to strike a blow to another Champions League-chasing club’s dreams and reignite their own season when they host Newcastle at Selhurst Park on Saturday evening.
Michael Olise’s stunning late free-kick earned a point against Manchester United on Wednesday — a result that means Newcastle can leapfrog the Red Devils with a draw in South London.
The Eagles have just one win to show from eight games in all competitions since the post-World Cup resumption, with manager Patrick Vieira recently admitting there was a “challenging mood” around the club.
Eddie Howe has no such concerns about his high-flying Magpies, who overcame Fulham with a late winner at St. James’ Park last Sunday.
The United boss was full of praise for match-winner Alexander Isak, who he believes has changed the dynamic of the team’s play.
Team news
Chris Richards will be given another chance in central defence after slotting in alongside Marc Guehi on Wednesday because of Joachim Andersen’s injury-enforced absence.
Vieira is likely to make changes elsewhere, however, with Eberechi Eze and Jordan Ayew hoping for recalls and Jean-Philippe Mateta due a break after a disappointing night against United.
Will Hughes made a strong case for his continued inclusion with a dogged display on his first Premier League start of the season in midweek.
Newcastle will have to do without midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, who suffered an ankle injury in last week’s win over Fulham.
Howe said that the Brazilian’s scan was positive and, although he could not give a timescale over when to expect the player back, stated he was “making good progress”.
Joelinton is expected to revert to a midfield role in Guimaraes’s absence, which offers Allan Saint-Maximin the opportunity to make a rare start out wide,
Jonjo Shelvey (calf), Matt Targett (heel) and Emil Krafth (ACL) are also ruled out, but Elliot Anderson could return after missing the last few games with a calf injury.
Isak will probably remain a bench option with Callum Wilson set to hold onto the central striker’s role.
The stats
Both of this season’s prior meetings between Palace and Newcastle, one in the Premier League and one in the League Cup, finished 0-0 after 90 minutes.
The last time two top-flight teams had three goalless draws against each other in the same campaign was Everton against Wimbledon in 1992-93.
The Magpies registered a fifth successive clean sheet in the Premier League for the first time last weekend, and their current unbeaten run of 14 games is the club’s joint-best in the top flight.
After a 3-3 draw in August 2014, Newcastle have only scored more than one goal once in their subsequent 14 Premier League meetings with the Eagles (W5 D4 L4), netting just 11 goals in total during that spell
Prediction
The injury to Guimaraes changes the balance of Newcastle’s midfield and their results suffered during his three-game absence earlier this season.
The Magpies drew at Wolves, lost at Liverpool and were held 0-0 by Palace and, on the evidence of those games, may struggle to come away from Selhurst Park with all three points.
The Eagles are also missing a key cog in central defence, but Guehi has been holding things together very well.
Palace have not beaten a team currently in the top half of the table at home, but they did manage draws against Brentford and United.
