The stage was set for an unremarkable evening of football at Selhurst Park at 20:00 on Friday evening, as Crystal Palace faced down visitors Newcastle United. Only seven goals had been scored across the past seven fixtures between the two clubs. Worse still, Palace’s primary goal threat, Wilfried Zaha, missed out due to injury, whilst skilful playmaker Allan Saint-Maximin missed out for Newcastle. A game which could surely have only one goal in it, if any.
The reality was better, but not by much.
Newcastle started the stronger team, creating the odd half chance throughout the first twenty minutes, with lively Brazilian striker Joelinton leading the charge. However, it was Karl Darlow, between the sticks for Newcastle, who would have the biggest impact on the first half. Palace began to dominate possession, and youngster Eberechi Eze found himself at the heart of some slick attacking play, before stinging the palms of Darlow from twenty-five yards. Then it was Jeffrey Schlupp’s turn, storming through on goal to force a strong, right handed save from Darlow. Yet, as halftime approached, Palace were almost the architects of their own downfall. A sloppy pass from Scott Dann gifted Joelinton possession just inside the box, and Dann was relieved to see his goalkeeper, Vincent Guaita, make a comfortable save.
Chances began to roll in as the second half rumbled on. Schlupp looked threatening again, forcing the ball through the Newcastle back line for striker Jordan Ayew to poke just wide. Then a horror moment for Joelinton, missing the ball in the air from ten yards out, and spurning his second golden opportunity of the game. Up the other end, Palace substitute Christian Benteke made his presence felt, and it was super Darlow to the rescue, as Benteke rose high to meet Patrick Van Aanholt’s cross, and was denied his goal by the diving keeper.
Into the last ten minutes of the game, there came more heroics from the Newcastle defence, with centre-back Federico Fernández hurling himself in the way of a strike from close range, before another chance went begging for Palace, as Van Aanoholt’s cross barely evaded substitute Michy Batshuayi at the back post. But the hotly contested nature of this second half was not to be reflected in the final score, with Callum Wilson combining with Joelinton in the eighty-eighth minute to go through on goal and slot the ball beyond Guaita. Then, before stoppage time could begin, Joelinton finally had his moment, driving at Dann before striking the ball against the legs of Gary Cahill, which took a wicked deflection to spin beyond Guaita.
The two nil victory placed both teams firmly in the bottom half of the table. As the weekend’s football finished, Palace sunk to fifteenth, whilst Newcastle hovered at thirteenth. However, both managers had positives to take away: Newcastle were encouraged to see Joelinton on the scoresheet, a player struggling to settle in, while Palace showed a new side to their play, dominating possession and cutting open their opposition, rather than sitting deep and playing on the counter. Yet for two teams on the peripheries of the Premier League, in such a turbulent season, where they go from here is hard to predict.
