Predicted Newcastle team v Crystal Palace – Three changes

Looking at this Newcastle team v Crystal Palace.

Eddie Howe and his players aiming to build on a very good last six weeks.

Wins over PSG, Manchester City, Burnley, Brentford and Sheffield United, plus a point at both West Ham and AC Milan.

So what can we expect the Newcastle team v Crystal Palace to be?

As a starting point…

This was the Newcastle team v West Ham:

Pope, Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Burn, Longstaff, Bruno, Tonali, Almiron, Isak, Anderson

Speaking on Friday morning, the Head Coach giving an official Newcastle United injury update.

Barnes, Miley and Willock definitely not involved against Palace.

Late checks to be made on whether Botman and/or Isak will be in Saturday’s matchday squad.

Joelinton fit and available again, with presumably the rest of the squad also ok, including Callum Wilson having benefited from this two week gap between games, plus Almiron and Bruno who were the last players to return from their internationals.

Eddie Howe stating that Sandro Tonali IS also available, the midfielder having trained twice this week, which would have became three I’m assuming, the Friday session before today’s game.

With five clean sheets in the last seven matches and only three goals conceded, Nick Pope will look to add to that excellent recent record.

If Sven Botman was 100 per cent fit and available, then a no-brainer to bring him back in. However, Eddie Howe keen to stress that whilst the Dutch defender is getting closer and closer to full fitness, it will be a late check as to whether he makes this matchday squad. I think with the tough schedule of important matches to come, the NUFC Head Coach will be giving Botman a few more days to get to that full fitness, with likely Wednesday night against Dortmund targeted.

So if Botman is on the bench at best, as I’m assuming, I can’t see anything but the same again with the back four.

Lascelles has done well since coming in, although at West Ham I thought he was very slow to turn and was at fault for that first goal. Nevertheless, I expect him to line up with Trippier, Schar and Burn.

Bruno Guimaraes played both games for Brazil in the October internationals but if he’s not getting any fitness / fatigue issues, he will surely start. Same with Miguel Almiron who played both matches for Paraguay, Miggy has scored in three of his last four starts for Newcastle.

Sean Longstaff has been excellent since coming back into the team and having had this two week break with no matches, will once again be a key player today.

Anthony Gordon has arguably been Newcastle United’s best player this season, he will come back in for sure after his one game suspension saw him miss West Ham.

Then with Eddie Howe stating Joelinton is now fully fit again, I see it very difficult to believe he won’t be starting. Sandro Tonali of course is available but my guess would be that the plan is, hoping that Newcastle have a comfortable lead and then late on bring Tonali off the bench so that the fans can show their support to him. Elliot Anderson struggled to make much of an impact at West Ham and dipped below his recent high levels, I think he will feel a bit unlucky to drop down to the bench, but with Gordon and Joelinton available I expect that to be the case.

The final place up front, Alexander Isak had been on fire with four goals in his last four games. However, forced off late at West Ham, a bit like Botman I don’t think there is any way the Sweden international will be risked as a starter today. So Callum Wilson, who has also been very good when given the chance, will come in to start. Wilson having scored four goals in 259 minutes of Premier League action this season, at an average of a goal every 65 minutes.

My predicted Newcastle team v Crystal Palace:

Pope, Trippier, Lascelles, Schar, Burn, Longstaff, Bruno, Joelinton, Gordon, Almiron, Wilson

So three changes in my predicted team, with Joelinton, Wilson and Gordon, to come in for Anderson, Isak and Tonali, if my guesswork is accurate.