Struggling Newcastle United will come up against former manager Alan Pardew this Saturday when they face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The game seems to have slipped under the radar throughout the week, with news of a heated training ground row between Newcastle coaches and playing staff dominating a majority of the media headlines.
Magpies’ boss Steve McClaren was incensed by his side’s reprehensible performance in the humiliating 3-0 home defeat to Leicester City, and the Englishman has warned Newcastle’s nonchalant stars that they will face the axe if they do not start performing to an acceptable level.
Irate fans have called for McClaren to make wholesale changes to the side for this weekend’s clash against Palace, but, with a number of key personnel missing through injury, the Englishman’s options are extremely limited.
Crystal Palace head into the tie on the back of Monday’s shock 1-0 home defeat to Newcastle’s arch-rivals Sunderland, and Pardew will be eager for the Eagles to get back to winning ways by piling the misery on his former employers.
With tricky ties against Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool to follow Saturday’s trip to South London, McClaren will hope that his stern words can inspire the Magpies to a positive result.
A defeat would spell disaster for Newcastle and, if results go against them, they could end the weekend sitting in the drop zone.
TEAM NEWS – Cheick Tiote is out after the injury he sustained in the first half against Leicester City. Massadio Haidara has been ruled out for four months following knee surgery. Jack Colback returned to full training this week and will be part of Saturday’s squad. Goalkeeper Karl Darlow played for the u21’s during the week and could be set for a spot on the bench. Long-term injury absentees Tim Krul, Steven Taylor, Rolando Aarons, Emmanuel Riviere and Gabriel Obertan all remain unavailable.
Without further ado, here’s my predicted XI for Saturday’s 3pm kick-off.
