Last updated & checked: 10/08/2021
Newcastle United welcome Crystal Palace to St James’ Park this Saturday afternoon, with both teams still not quite safe from relegation from the Premier League. Palace currently sit in 13th place in the table with 36 points, with the Toon a place and a point behind. Newcastle are seven points clear of the relegation zone, so neither team is in real danger, but neither team can quite relax yet either.
Form for both teams has been decidedly mixed in recent weeks too. Palace head into this game on the back of a 2-0 midweek defeat at the new White Hart Lane to Tottenham Hotspur. Newcastle lost 2-0 away at Arsenal last weekend. Both teams have won just two of their last five games in all competitions.
Newcastle United vs Crystal Palace Prediction: Magpies 1-1 Eagles
Our prediction for this game is that it will end in a low scoring draw, most probably 1-1. These teams are in a bit of funny position at the moment, with neither being in serious danger of relegation but also not having very much to play for. Both Rafael Benitez and Roy Hodgson will want their teams to win the game and get closer to the magic 40-point mark. Both coaches can be a little cautious in their tactical approach, and we do not expect this game to be a thriller.
Our recommended tip: Draw, both score
Our featured tip for this game comes courtesy of Coral. They are offering odds of 17/5 on the game being drawn with both teams scoring. This looks like a good bet to us, as it matches our prediction of a 1-1 draw. Goals have been at a premium in this fixture in recent seasons, with no team scoring more than once since Palace beat Newcastle 5-1 in 2015. We expect both sides to adopt a cautious approach to this game which will see it end all-square. We do expect at last one goal from both teams, though.
Previous matches
These two sides have faced each other on 15 previous occasions in the Premier League. Out of those 15 games, Newcastle have won eight and Crystal Palace two. There have been five draws. Palace have won just one Premier League game at St James’ Park, while Newcastle have beaten the Eagles four times on Tyneside.
Earlier this season, the sides met in the Premier League at Selhurst Park in September. The game ended in a goalless draw. Low scores have been a hallmark of this fixture in recent seasons, with just four goals being scored in the last four meetings.
Top 3 Premier League Bookies
Players to watch: Salomon Rondon & Luka Milivojevic
Salomon Rondon is Newcastle’s leading scorer this season, having netted nine goals in 26 Premier League games in 2018/19. He has also weighed in with five assists, and has created four big chances for his team-mates. One of his goals has come from a free kick. Of his 67 attempts on goal, 21 have been on target, and he has hit the woodwork five times. He has also missed four big chances, a relatively small number.
Newcastle will need to be careful not to give away a penalty on Saturday. Palace midfielder Luka Milivojevic is his club’s top scorer in the Premier League this season with 10 goals, nine of which have come from the penalty spot. His lethal accuracy from spot kicks is a real asset to his team, but the Serb is also his team’s leading pass maker, having played 1,722 passes in 2018/19. Milivojevic is also an inspirational skipper for Palace.
