Newcastle will be trying to make it six wins in the last eight league games at Selhurst Park this afternoon, and if we can do that, we’ll get ourselves off to an excellent start to the Christmas season.
Newcastle are in almost a polar opposite position today than we were a short 12 months ago, when we had lots of injuries to our top players and we were languishing in 6th bottom place in the league table.
At the moment we are 6th top and have no injuries to the first team squad at all, and therefore the team will be at full strength this afternoon.
The manager Alan Pardew will need to decide what formation he plays this afternoon, at a club he played for over 20 years ago, and it will either be a 4-4-2 formation or a modified 4-5-1 formation.
If it is 4-4-2 then Shola Ameobi will start and if it’s 4-5-1 we think Vurnon Anita will keep his place.
But whatever the formation is. we’ll definitely see Yohan Cabaye back in a starting midfield role for the Magpies.
We have a feeling that Pardew will retain Anita in the starting lien-up, so this could be the side that starts this afternoon at Selhurst Park:
Krul
Debuchy Coloccini (c) Williamson Santon
Sissoko Tiote Cabaye Anita Gouffran
Remy
Subs: Elliot Haidara Yanga-Mbia Ben Arfa Gutierrez Cisse Ameobi (Sh)
That’s both a strong starting eleven and a very strong bench.
Crystal Palace have been in good form over the last five league games, and they have three wins and two one goal defeats – so this will be a tough game for the Magpies today.
Alan Pardew has a 100% record at Selhurst Park so let’s hope he still has that record intact tat 5:00 pm this afternoon.
In our poll on the possible outcome of this game, a high 64% think we’ll win and 23% think we’ll draw the game.
Our view is that this will be a difficult game and akin to playing Stoke at the Britannia Stadium when Tony Pulis was manager there – it will be a tough physical game and very close.
So if Loic Remy or any of the other Newcastle players get chances this afternoon, they will just have to take them if we are indeed to come away from Selhurst Park with all 3 points.
We really do think this will be tricky game for Newcastle.
What do you think?
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43 comments so far
manxpie
Dec 21, 2013 at 2:02 PM
Comment #41Newcastle United FC ?@NUFCOfficial 1m
#NUFC v @Official_CPFC (4-3-3): Krul; Debuchy, Coloccini (c), Williamson, Santon; Anita, Cabaye, Tiote; Sissoko, Remy, Gouffran #CRYNEW
Ted Bundy
Dec 21, 2013 at 2:04 PM
Comment #42Pace in attack the recipe of the day! Counter with Anita and Cabaye’s early releases. Hopefully we see a similar performance to that of the heralded one against West Brom in the 5th season.
Munster Mag
Dec 21, 2013 at 2:09 PM
Comment #43i tthink shola will play as pards will be worried re pulis aerial tactics