Requiring just one more victory to mathematically assure themselves of Premier League safety, Crystal Palace welcome Newcastle United to their Selhurst Park home on Wednesday night.
While Eddie Howe's men enjoyed a weekend off, the Eagles ran riot in a 5-2 demolition of London rivals West Ham United, setting a new club record along the way.
Match preview
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The Crystal Palace faithful may have believed that their season had reached its zenith with their astonishing Anfield success over Liverpool on April 14, the Reds' first home loss in the top flight in 18 months, but Oliver Glasner's side were irrepressible once more when West Ham paid a visit at the weekend.
Even with the Irons nursing a Europa League hangover, few could have foreseen the Palace-inflicted dismantling which unfolded in the first half, where Eberechi Eze, Michael Olise and an Emerson Palmieri own goal inside the opening 20 minutes gave the Eagles their quickest-ever three-goal lead in the Premier League.
Jean-Philippe Mateta prolonged his purple patch with a brace too, ensuring that Michail Antonio's effort and a farcical Tyrick Mitchell own goal - which Dean Henderson was fully culpable for - would be scant consolations for the Europa Conference League winners.
Courtesy of making it back-to-back wins for the first time in the Premier League season, the 14th-placed hosts have opened up an 11-point gap to 18th-placed Luton Town, who have just 12 left to fight for, so victory on Wednesday would guarantee Glasner's men another year in the big time.
The last time Palace achieved consecutive Premier League victories in April 2023, the Eagles followed up their beatings of Leicester City and Leeds United with a third-straight triumph at home of Southampton, and not since December 6 have Wednesday's hosts failed to score in a top-flight home fixture.
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While Crystal Palace were finding the back of the net for fun on Sunday, upcoming opponents Newcastle were one of a handful of sides to see their fixtures postponed on FA Cup semi-final weekend, giving Howe and co more time to bask in their splendid spell of springtime form thus far.
Taking 10 points from the last 12 on offer in the top flight, Newcastle did not quite match last season's 6-1 hammering of Tottenham Hotspur at St James' Park, but the Magpies still taught their timid North London counterparts a footballing lesson either way, hitting the Lilywhites for four without reply.
Alexander Isak's brace, Anthony Gordon's effort and a Fabian Schar header contributed to the Magpies' most emphatic win of 2024 so far, one which has them on course for Europa League football in sixth spot in the table. Manchester United may only be behind on goal difference, but the chasm is staggering, +17 to minus one for the Red Devils.
Reverting to their former defensive selves, Howe's charges have let in just one goal across their last 270 minutes of Premier League football and have just two defeats on their record from their last 11 fixtures, although they both came in trips to the capital against Chelsea and Arsenal.
However, not since the pre-COVID days of February 2020 have Newcastle lost at Selhurst Park, and October's 4-0 thumping of Palace at St James' Park made it six games unbeaten for the Magpies against the Eagles, who have now gone five games without finding the back of the Newcastle net.
Team News
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The one small downside to Sunday's destruction of West Ham was the enforced withdrawal of Adam Wharton, who was brought off in the second half following a clash of knees with Emerson, although that contact injury should settle down quickly.
Chris Richards and Will Hughes both battled back from their concerns to start at the weekend, where Rob Holding and Joel Ward were on the bench, but the luckless former has now sustained a fresh hamstring injury and is out alongside Sam Johnstone (elbow), Cheick Doucoure (Achilles), Jefferson Lerma (thigh), Marc Guehi (knee) and Matheus Franca (groin).
Jairo Riedewald and Naouirou Ahamada will scrap it out for the right to replace Wharton if the promising youngster is not risked on Wednesday, but Glasner should otherwise see no reason to alter his winning formula from the weekend.
Meanwhile, Newcastle have had 11 days to battle back from any bumps or bruises, and the extended recuperation period will help Callum Wilson's chances of recovering from a chest injury in time for the trip to Selhurst Park.
However, the Magpies remain without several longer-term victims, including Lewis Miley (back), Joe Willock (Achilles), Kieran Trippier (calf), Matt Targett (Achilles), Nick Pope (shoulder), Miguel Almiron (knee), Joelinton (thigh), Lewis Miley (back), Sven Botman (knee) and Jamaal Lascelles (knee), as well as the banned Sandro Tonali.
Despite their over-crowded infirmary, which forced Emil Krafth to start at centre-back against Tottenham, the Magpies were indomitable at St James' Park, and Howe will surely send out an unchanged team onto the Selhurst Park soil.
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Henderson; Clyne, Richards, Andersen; Munoz, Wharton, Hughes, Mitchell; Olise, Mateta, Eze
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Dubravka; Murphy, Krafth, Schar, Burn; Anderson, Guimaraes, Longstaff; Gordon, Isak, Barnes
We say: Crystal Palace 2-3 Newcastle United
A refreshed and well-rested Newcastle side will prove a much different kettle of fish to a fatigued West Ham for Crystal Palace, who have tried and failed several times to breach the Magpies' net over the past couple of seasons.
The manner of Sunday's marvellous attacking display means that the hosts' scoreless sequence should be snapped against Howe's decimated defence, but the visitors should benefit from Palace's weekend fatigue to prevail in what may be a goal-laden thriller.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Ben Knapton
