Crystal Palace vs Newcastle United: Magpies must defy London jinx

Newcastle United’s topsy-turvy Premier League campaign continued on Monday as West Ham United triumphed 2-0 at St James’ Park.

Left to languish in mid-table, the Magpies head to Selhurst Park to encounter a lowly Crystal Palace on Saturday, searching for redemption.

Halting a three-game winless streak on Palace’s home ground takes priority amid talks the clubs could meet at the negotiating table.

Newcastle – tipped to make a ‘take it or leave it‘ offer for Marc Guehi in the upcoming transfer window – could soon cross paths with the Eagles off the pitch.

Meanwhile, fans eager to follow the action can watch live football on TV as the Magpies seek to turn their fortunes around.

Had they lived up to the billing against West Ham, Newcastle would’ve ended the last matchday only two points adrift of runners-up Manchester City.

Instead, they commence this round in tenth, albeit only four points off fourth-placed Arsenal, highlighting the significance of returning to the win column.

Potential banana skin

Despite being stuck in the bottom three following a gut-wrenching 2-2 draw at Aston Villa last weekend, Oliver Glasner’s men are more than capable of causing problems for any side.

However, it’s worth noting the Eagles have only won once in 12 Premier League matches this season (D5, L6), courtesy of a 1-0 home victory against Tottenham Hotspur last month.

That result perhaps best illustrates Palace’s capacity to upset the odds, something they’ve frequently done against Newcastle, especially at this venue.

Since a 2-0 win in November 2020, the Magpies have gone three consecutive league visits to Selhurst Park without winning (D2, L1), failing to find the net in the last two.

Overall, London hasn’t been a happy hunting ground for Howe’s team as they’ve lost six of their last eight league fixtures in the capital (W2), including both this season at the hands of Chelsea and Fulham.