Match Preview/Stats/Thread: Crystal Palace v Newcastle Utd
By Tyne-Talk
December 21 2013
Newcastle United travel to Selhurst Park this afternoon on the back of four wins a draw and one defeat from their last six games; Crystal Palace host on the back of three wins, two defeats and a draw from their last six. Palace, now under the charge of Tony Pulis are currently 18th in the League table and will be hoping three points at home today can lift them out of the relegation zone. A win for Newcastle won’t lift them any further up the table but will bridge the gap between their current position of 6th and 5th.
Palace had some good news this week when it was announced that Dean Moxey (hamstring) is fit for the game but Stuart O’Keefe (muscular), Kagisho Dikgacol (muscular) and Jonny Williams (knock) all face late fitness tests. Glenn Murray (ACL), Jerome Thomas (calf) and Adlene Guedioura (lung/rib) are all unavailable.
Alan Pardew welcomes back Yohan Cabaye who returns from suspension and have no new injury concerns. Therefore the team is unlikely to see much change.
Earlier this week Steven Taylor’s agent went public to announce the defender was unhappy not even making the bench at the club and would be looking for a move away from the club in January – possibly on loan. Pardew has since refuted any suggestion that he would willingly send any of his players out on loan, acknowledging that he needs cover and that just an injury or two would see a gap which Taylor would currently fill.
He said;
“We have got so many games coming up, I can’t see me wanting to loan a centre-half.
I don’t see the logic in that, so at the moment, that’s a ‘no’.”
Talking ahead of today’s game Pardew said;
"Tony plays a brand of football that's tough to play against - physical, demanding and, at times, direct. You need to be able to stand up and be counted in that manner.
All his teams have tested better teams than us on that level and won. But, for us, it's about how we are playing, and we are playing really well at the minute. We need to bring that to Selhurst Park and if we can do that, then they won't get it all their own way and hopefully we can get three points."
Fact: 20 of Newcastle's 21 Premier League goals this season have been scored by French players.
Fact: Palace have scored just 11 league goals this season, the lowest tally in the top flight.
Crystal Palace |
| Newcastle Utd |
| ||
16 | Played | 16 |
13 | Points | 27 |
4 | Won | 8 |
1 | Drawn | 3 |
11 | Lost | 5 |
11 | Goals Scored | 21 |
24 | Goals Conceded | 22 |
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Lucky yellow Shirts again
Still I'm delighted it's 2-0 to us
Hatem ben arfa penalty and he managed 16 touches, two shots on target and a penalty in his 11 mins today according to LeeRyder on twitter
Excellent result and clean sheet for xmas
Games like today i would have started with him, he would have spent the whole game running rings around their defence, against a stronger team i'd use him as a super sub
mental you are making the mistake of not heeding your own words.
"you never know what your going to get, from the sublime to not even trying."
He can have a good 10-15 minutes in a game then wander willy-nilly round the pitch for the other 75 minutes.That's why I prefer him to come on as a sub.
I agree sell him if we can get a good price for him and we have enough cover.
Too many times for me, HBA has stood for "Has Been Awful"
As for HBA. I still hear people at the match slating pardew for not playing him. Like it or not, one of the reasons for our turnaround is him on the bench. Goufran has been amazing and with him and sissoko on the wings you get far more graft. No surprise that Debuchy's game has improved drastically.
Must admit, I wouldnt mind seeing him more central if cabaye was out again. Trouble is, he doesnt pass.