Newcastle v Crystal Palace: Match Preview, Team News & Prediction

Eddie's press conference yesterday confirmed the views of many fans - the next seven games may go some way to deciding the direction the club takes at the season's end.

Eddie lays out where he stands

It was inevitable after news surfaced about Eddie's meeting with CEO David Hopkinson after the Sunderland defeat, and Hopkinson's swerve at giving a positive answer to Eddie's long term future, that questions would be asked at the presser.

In summary; Eddie stated that as long as he had the support and confidence of the powers that be - and he affirmed that he believes he has - and that they are all working together on common ground... he wants to continue at the helm of NUFC.

But, there was a clarification...

If for any reason that harmony was eroded then Eddie said the club came before any individual and...

Tellingly, he stopped short of finishing the sentence.

He pivoted to say that the next seven games are really important and that, effectively, all situations regarding the club will be reviewed in light of the position at the season's end.

That doesn't mean not qualifying for Europe means a parting of ways, but it does mean that whether we do or don't - every facet of the club will face scrutiny.

And, at the head of that IMO will be managerial performance, last summers signings, and who the club is prepared to sell to give us the opportunity to make big changes and much needed improvements in the squad.

Match Preview

Both sides are the only two teams in the top 14 to have lost more games than they have won this season - Newcastle 12 wins & 13 defeats, Palace 10 wins & 11 defeats.

And, both sides have been consistent only in the inconsistency in the PL this season, but Palace are now on a five-game unbeaten run at Selhurst Park across all competitions, strikingly keeping a clean sheet in every one of those contests.

That defensive strength is a reason why only Arsenal and Man City have conceded fewer goals than Palace's 35 , but at the other end of the pitch only three teams have scored less than their 33.

With Newcastle virtually unable to keep clean sheets, Palace struggling to score but difficult to score against, this match on paper doesn't have the makings of a classic.

Team News

Newcastle: Miley and Botman are back in the squad but Bruno and Schar have suffered setbacks and will not play.

Crystal Palace: Former Toon target Jorgen Strand Larsen is back from a Conference League suspension, but Evann Guessand sustained a knock in Thursday's victory and will need assessing.

Match Prediction

The three week international break has left the bookies eating mince instead of fillet steak as my fiver's have stayed in my pocket not theirs.

Whether the result of this match hinges on it or not, it will again be interesting, and potentially a sign of our summer transfer intentions, to see if Gordon starts again as ST.

Games are running out for Woltemade, and especially Wissa, to show that confidence should be placed in them to lead the line next season.

With Miley back and likely to start Woltemade could again be benched.

Irrespective of who starts; with six losses from our last nine Premier League matches, only Spurs have suffered as many defeats in that stretch as Newcastle. How bad is that?

The truth is we are currently in relegation form.

Lose tomorrow and we drop to 14th and a Sunderland win against Spurs would leave us seven points behind the Mackem's with just six games to play.

Finishing below Sunderland this season is a nightmare scenario.

So, we have to win - and my fiver is going on a 2-1 win.

What I will predict with certainty is this...

If we lose the pressure on Eddie Howe will go up another notch.

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