Team News
Palace went into the match with an unchanged starting eleven following the win at Huddersfield Town last week, whilst Newcastle United made three changes – with Rondón, Shelvey and Chelsea loanee Kenedy replacing Joselu, Murphy and Hayden.
During the warm-up, there was an injury scare to Wilfried Zaha who was seen nursing his upper back / neck area and disappearing up the tunnel for treatment, but it wasn’t enough to keep him out of the side, and walked out with his team-mates.
First Half
The visitors won the toss, and opted to change ends – meaning Palace would attack the Holmesdale Road end. And it was Palace who created the first opportunity as the rain drizzled down in south London. In just the second minute, Andros Townsend whipped in a fine cross to find James McArthur at the back stick, but the Scotsman’s header went just over Dubravka’s crossbar.
In the ninth minute, Perez pick-pocketed Tomkins about 40 yards from goal. As the Eagles’ central defence parted, the Spaniard was through on goal and one-on-one with Wayne Hennessey but as he approached the edge of the box, the striker fluffed his lines, poking the ball tamely straight at the Welsh keeper.
Palace began to up the ante, and broke quickly. First, Kouyate spread the ball wide to Van Aanholt down the left releasing Townsend, who had swapped flanks. His cross landed at Wan-Bissaka feet at the back post - who blasted at the oncoming defender for a corner.
Moments later, the home captain Luka Milivojevic whipped a pinpoint cross into Jordan Ayew, whose header looped over the bar. But Palace piled on the pressure, and Zaha was felled on the edge of the box. Milivojevic stepped up, and struck low past the wall to the keeper’s left who pawed it away to safety.
As the game approached the half hour mark, Newcastle won back to back corners – with Jonjo Shelvey targeting the visitor’s captain Jamaal Lascelles on the penalty spot, whose dangerous presence was thwarted on both occasions.
With ten minutes to go until the break, DeAndre Yedlin was bamboozled by Zaha’s mazy footwork and tripped the Ivorian on the left wing, in line with the edge of the box, receiving a yellow card for his efforts. Milivojevic stepped up once again to take the dead ball from a shallow angle, and this time – his cross had the perfect pace and height, as the ball sailed over a box full of black and white shirts, grazing Tomkins’ thigh and onto the post. It was Palace’s best and last real chance of the half.
Palace headed down the tunnel having certainly created the better chances, but to no avail.
Second Half
Joselu replaced Rondon at the break, and Jonjo Shelvey’s wicked free-kick from the right flank fizzed across the Palace box – whilst the new man collided with Tomkins, but appeals for a penalty were waved away. Tomkins soon ended in the referee's book though, after a late challenge on Perez.
On ’62, Max Meyer replaced Cheikhou Kouyate to rapturous applause. The diminutive German’s early touches were assured, and he successfully found pockets of space in the middle of the park.
With 20 minutes to play, both sides made changes with Alexander Sørloth replacing Ayew, and Atsu coming on for Ritchie. Palace began to pile on the pressure. Townsend switched to the left which proved the catalyst for Palace's sustained pressure, and he side stepped an onrushing defender brilliantly, creating space for Van Aanholt who hesitated on striking the ball first time, before he was crowded out for space.
Townsend again sprang to life as he won the ball right on the touchline, and launched a looping cross that eluded Dubravka, leaving Sakho free at the back post with the goal gaping – but the French centre-back headed wide of the post in Palace’s best chance of the game.
Palace deluged the Newcastle goal, winning corner after corner, and in the dying moments, Zaha flashed an effort across the box, with McArthur’s out-stretched boot falling agonisingly short.
It was a day of what-ifs in south London, but a point is a point and Hodgson's men move onto seven from six games. The wait for the 100th Premier League win continues.
Highlights of the match are available on Palace TV. Download the app now.
Palace: Hennessey, Wan-Bissaka, Tomkins, Sakho, Van Aanholt, Milivojevic ©, Kouyaté (Meyer ’62), McArthur, Townsend, Zaha, Ayew (Sørloth ’70).
Subs not used: Guaita, Puncheon, Kelly, Ward, Schlupp.
Newcastle United: Dubravka, Lascelles ©, Fernández, Dummett, Yedlin, Diamé, Shelvey, Kenedy, Ritchie (Atsu ’71), Pérez (Muto ’80), Rondón (Joselu ‘45).
Subs not used: Darlow, Clark, Sung-yeung, Manquillo.