Newcastle United enter their final three games of the season needing the maximum amount of points possible to avoid relegation and their first test will be today, at St James’s Park against Crystal Palace.
The Eagles are coming from a huge 2-1 win against Watford, reaching FA Cup final. Their last Premier League game was a 2-0 loss against Manchester United, though. After playing well and earning a lot of points in December, Palace is struggling this year and still not completely safe. One win is enough to avoid relegation and they will try it against the Magpies.
Leading the away team, one old pal will be making his first comeback at St James’ Park since he left Newcastle. Alan Pardew will have a hard reception by the geordie crowd for sure and it’s not very different inside his squad at the moment, with reports coming out about his player Lee Chung-Yong badmouthing his methods.
In the injury front, the only question is the availability of Wilfred Zaha. In Pardew’s words, he’s “50/50” to play this game with a lower leg knock. The probable Crystal Palace starting XI is:
4-2-3-1: Speroni; Kelly, Mariappa, Delaney, Souaré; Jedinak, Cabaye; Sako, Lee, Bolasie; Adebayor.
Newcastle, on the other hand, are coming from three promising games without losses. A 2-2 comeback draw at Anfield last week was another impressive display and it keeps giving the Magpies hope. But now they need a win at home and Rafa Benitez has some work to do.
The Newcastle boss will be without captain Fabricio Coloccini and full-back Daryl Janmaat again. In their places, Jamaal Lascelles and Vurnon Anita are playing so well that the loss of those players became a bless in disguise. Steven Taylor is back healthy, but will be an option off the bench at best.
Rafa hardly starts the same team week after week, like he did against Liverpool and I doubt he will do it again against the Eagles. My bet is Gini Wijnaldum getting his starting spot back on the left midfield in Ayoze Perez’s place. That was the sub made at halftime in the last game and was the beginning of Newcastle’s reaction. Gini did not play at his best, but it’s hard to argue the team wasn’t so much better after his introduction. Ayoze did nothing to keep his job and maybe come in as a sub is a better role for him at this moment, just like it’s for Mitrovic. Other than that, I believe the team will be the same. Newcastle probable starting XI:
4-2-3-1: Darlow; Anita, Mbemba, Lascelles, Dummett; Tiote, Colback; Townsend, Sissoko, Wijnaldum; Cisse.
Prediction: Newcastle win, 2-0.
