Newcastle United v Crystal Palace
Premier League | St. James' Park
Saturday, 21 October 2023 @ 3.00pm
Newcastle United face a challenge to maintain their high-scoring form at home against a tight Crystal Palace defence on Saturday.
With 20 goals in eight games, Newcastle are the joint-second-highest scorers in the Premier League ahead of the 3pm kick-off at St. James' Park.
They face an Eagles side who have scored seven in eight matches, but conceded only seven goals, putting them joint-third among the league's tightest defences – only Arsenal and Manchester City have conceded fewer goals.
In Sam Johnstone, Palace can rely on one of the league's safest pair of hands. He has kept four clean sheets in his eight appearances this season, and no 'keeper has prevented the opposition scoring more often in the Premier League.
In Newcastle's net, Nick Pope has three clean sheets in eight games. He has conceded a goal every 90 minutes, twice as often as the 180 minutes between goals for Johnstone.
In the last 10 years, Newcastle and Palace have played each other on 20 occasions. Newcastle won eight of them, Palace four, and they drew eight times.
On average, the Magpies scored 1.0 goals and the Eagles 0.8 in those matches.
Their last meeting was on January 21, when they played out a 0-0 draw.
United are eighth in the table after eight games, of which they have won four and drawn one, earning 13 points.
The Eagles are one place behind the Magpies in ninth, with three wins and three draws putting them on 12 points.
The hosts are in mixed form in the Premier League, with three wins and a draw from their last six games.
With two wins and three draws over that period, the away side's form is slightly less good – they have taken nine points from 18, compared to Newcastle's 10.
Newcastle's last match was on October 8, a 2-2 draw against West Ham United, with Alexander Isak getting the goals for the Magpies.
Palace drew 0-0 with Nottingham Forest last time out, on October 7.
Saturday's match will be refereed by Tim Robinson, who has taken charge of three Premier League games so far this season, issuing no red cards and booking 16 players. He has not awarded any penalties.
He is yet to oversee a match featuring either Newcastle or Palace this season.