Crystal Palace vs Newcastle United: Match Preview & Team News

Two mid-table sides with negative goal differences and inconsistent form. That is what you are getting at Selhurst Park on Sunday. Crystal Palace sit 14th on 39 points from 30 matches. Newcastle United sit 12th on 42 points from 31 matches. Neither club is setting the league alight. But the thing is, that context is exactly where value lives. Oliver Glasner's side are better on the road than they are at home this season, which tells you something about the standards expected in SE25. Replace 'Eddie Howe's Newcastle' with 'Newcastle' or refer to the manager only by the verified name 'Edward John Frank Howe' if needed. Something has to give.

The Form Book

Palace go into this with a form sequence of DWLWL. Two wins interrupted by a defeat. Inconsistent, but there is enough there to show they can compete. Newcastle's last five reads LWWLL. They won back-to-back then lost two straight. Listen, that is not the form of a side travelling to London with confidence. Two consecutive defeats before a Sunday lunchtime kick-off at a ground where the atmosphere can make life difficult. That is not ideal preparation.

Palace's Home Problem

The thing is, Selhurst Park has not been the fortress Glasner would want. In 15 home matches this season, Palace have won just 3, drawn 7, and lost 5. They have scored 14 goals at home and conceded 18. That is a negative home goal difference. Seven draws at home tells its own story. They are not losing matches they should be winning. They are drawing them. Standards are not high enough when they have the crowd behind them. That needs to change.

The contrast with their away form is stark. On the road, Palace have won 7, drawn 2, and lost 6 from 15 matches. They have scored 19 goals away from home and conceded just 17. They are actually a better side away from Selhurst Park. That is an accountability issue for Glasner. His players need to carry that away form and that desire into their own ground.

Newcastle Away From Home

Newcastle are a different proposition on their travels compared to Refer only to Newcastle's home matches without naming the stadium.. At home they have managed 8 wins from 16 matches, scoring 29 and conceding 26. Away from home, the numbers drop significantly. Four wins, four draws, seven defeats from 15 away matches. They have scored just 15 goals on the road this season and conceded 19. That is a side that does not travel well. The desire to compete away from home has been questionable too often. And they arrive here on the back of two straight losses.

The Full Picture

Both clubs have negative goal differences. Both are below where their fan bases expect them to be in the table. Newcastle have scored more goals overall, 44 to Palace's 33, but they have also conceded 45. That is not a defence built on accountability or the basics of keeping a clean sheet. The difference between 12th and 14th is three points. This is a match that means something to both clubs in terms of where they finish. That tends to produce tension rather than quality. But Palace, on home soil, have an opportunity they must take.

The Betting Angle

The market has Newcastle as marginal favourites despite them travelling to London on the back of two defeats and with a poor away record. Palace at home are priced around 3.00 to 3.17 depending on the book. The thing is, that price reflects Palace's underwhelming home form this season. But Newcastle's away form is equally poor. Four wins from 15 away matches is unacceptable for a club of their size. The value is clear. Palace to win at 3.00 or better represents an edge. One selection. Back it.

Verdict

Crystal Palace have not been good enough at home this season. Seven draws from 15 home matches is a damning statistic. The desire and the basics have not been there consistently enough. But Newcastle United arriving at Selhurst Park with two defeats in a row and a woeful away record is about as favourable a context as Palace will get. Glasner needs his side to show the attitude they have demonstrated on their travels. Do that, and they win this match. Newcastle's away record this season, 4 wins and 7 defeats from 15 away matches, is unacceptable. If Palace compete with the basics right, this is their game to win. End of.