Crystal Palace vs Newcastle United

Selhurst Park forms the backdrop for a tasty-looking Premier League showdown between in-form Crystal Palace and high-flying Newcastle United. 

Crystal Palace refused to rest on their laurels after a stunning 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield as they hammered West Ham 5-2 at home over the weekend, going 4-0 up inside the opening 31 minutes. A late-season renaissance inspired by new manager Oliver Glasner has led to a handsome 11-point lead on the bottom three, with the German seemingly gaining a foothold in the Premier League after a shaky six-game start (W1, D2, L3). A mid-table finish is a pipe dream, but improving on their 14th place is a distinct possibility, especially if they can maintain an eye-catching run of finding the net in their last nine top-flight outings on home turf (W4, D2, L3). A victory for Palace would probably command a high-scoring fixture, not least because their five league wins in 2023/24 have all seen them score 3+ goals.

On the other hand, Newcastle United’s revival after a lackluster FA Cup exit to Manchester City in mid-March has solidified their European quest, with a four-game unbeaten league streak (W3, D1), bookended by a 4-0 romping of Tottenham at home, propelling them to sixth in the table. However, manager Eddie Howe knows better than to let his side’s uptick in form tuck him into a false sense of security, considering they’re level on points with 7th-placed Manchester United and only three clear of 9th-placed Chelsea. Hitting the road will put the Magpies’ continental credentials to the test, as they’ve flopped on the road this term (W4, D2, L9). If it’s any consolation, they seem to have addressed their travel sickness of late, racking up three of their four away league wins across their last five games on hostile turf (L2).