Premier League: Toon Return Home as Eagles Head to North-East

Newcastle United vs Crystal Palace

This Saturday afternoon at three o’clock may, even to the most ardent Geordies, seem a bit like after the Lord Mayor’s Show and all that.

For while they will be back at St James’ Park to cheer on their Toon heroes, the visit of Crystal Palace in the Premier League could appear to be significantly less exciting than the last time the Tyneside faithful were all together.

That is not to be dismissive of the Eagles who continue to punch above their weight and, at times, flourish under the septuagenarian Roy Hodgson.

Indeed, since returning to the club in March, his steadying influence has been clear for all to see.

It’s just after waiting 20 years for a Champions League night in front of the Gallowgate end, what followed against Paris St Germain will almost be impossible to match, let alone better – at least for a while.

Talking Points

That was the evening when the Parisiens were overpowered in a highly charged atmosphere on Tyneside.

The French champions – including superstar Kylian Mbappe – found the atmosphere and intensity on and off the pitch just too much as Eddie Howe’s side secured a richly deserved win in Newcastle’s first home game in Europe’s elite competition since a 2-0 defeat by Barcelona in March 2003.

After a night which announced their European arrival, they now need Premier League highlights to climb up the table where they currently occupy eighth place.

Under ‘old master’ Hodgson, a senior statesman in English football and a master tactician, you underestimate Palace at your peril.

After arriving in mid-March, the former England manager found a way for their talented attacking trio of Wilfried Zaha, Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze to express themselves in a manner they were not quite able to do under his predecessor Patrick Vieira.

In the ex-France international’s last nine games, Palace had a total of 16 shots on target but they equalled that tally in just two games under Hodgson, scoring seven of those.

Losing the talismanic Zaha in the summer was a blow for a club which can naturally struggle to hold onto its best players.

Yet they have already shown this season that they have retained some skilled attackers and remain tough to beat, as they proved against Manchester United at Old Trafford last month.

With the recently-redeveloped Palace Academy based just over the road from the first-team training ground at Copers Cope, Hodgson has also outlined how he is never short of numbers during sessions – and how that generates opportunities for the club’s stars of the future.

They go to Newcastle, who they held twice last term, with nothing to lose and a fine example of a Premier League club holding their own against opponents with significantly greater resources.

History

These two sides met for the very first time in the FA Cup first round in 1907 when Palace triumphed 1-0 at St James’ Park.

That was the first of 12 victories they have enjoyed against the Toon, the most recent being in February 2021 when Jaïro Riedewald and Gary Cahill scored in five first half minutes to cancel out Jonjo Shelvey’s opener and seal a 2-1 victory at St James’ Park.

There have also been 12 draws and 30 Newcastle victories.

Both league meetings last season ended goalless, as did a League Cup third round tie on Tyneside which the hosts won 3-2 in a penalty shoot-out.

You have to go back 10 years to the last time one side managed a league double over the other.

On that occasion, Yohan Cabaye, an own goal and a Hatem Ben Arfa penalty fired Newcastle to a 3-0 victory at Selhurst Park before a last minute Papiss Cisse goal won the day at St James’ Park.

Betting Tip

The Geordies have a strong backing from the stands and an equally strong backing with the SBOTOP Premier League betting odds.

They are priced 1X2 @ 1.44 and Asian Handicap -1.50 @ 2.31.

Palace will naturally be underdogs but have a history of causing surprises and would earn you a tidy payday with both 1X2 @ 6.60 and Asian Handicap +1.00 @ 2.16.

The draw is available @ 4.00.

All three matches were level (after normal time) last season, of course, and a fourth successive 0-0 draw – surely that won’t happen – is on offer @ 10.50 with Correct Score.

That makes Total Goal 0-1 @ 3.60 an interesting proposition, alongside 2-3 @ 1.98 and 4-6 @ 3.35, along with under 2.50 goals @ 2.08.

I think Newcastle will have the edge here and my *** tip is First Half Asian Handicap Newcastle -0.50 @ 2.03.

 

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