Although Newcastle will be pleased at the dropped points from Manchester United on Wednesday - which was ironically against Palace - the draw at Selhurst Park that day did put Erik ten Hag’s men above them in the table by one point.
However, the game in hand has now gone for United and that sole point is only the difference. At the same time, Eddie Howe's men are sitting with a five-point gap on Tottenham Hotspur in fifth as they seek a return to the Champions League for the first time since 2003.
Saturday nights at Selhurst 🔜#CPFC | #CRYNEW pic.twitter.com/ZcAPS3mEjt— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) January 20, 2023
Saturday nights at Selhurst 🔜#CPFC | #CRYNEW pic.twitter.com/ZcAPS3mEjt
Newcastle managed to edge past Fulham last time out in the league after taking a two-week break from Premier League action.
Alexander Isak netted a goal in the 89th minute that day to secure all three points for Howe's side after former player, Alexsander Mitrovic, had his converted penalty ruled out for touching the ball with both feet.
It puts the St. James' Park side went on a two-game winning run after beating Leicester City in the EFL Cup quarter-finals 2-0, with the club previously drawing against Arsenal at the Emirates and losing to Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup during January.
The Magpies remain the best defensive side in the league so far with only 11 goals let in from 19 games, just as they have lost the fewest games in the Premier League too with just one.
As for Palace, they looked like losing all three points in midweek to Manchester United after a first half goal from Bruno Fernandes.
The Eagles rallied hard in the second half and were rewarded with a point after Michael Olise scored one of the best free kicks in Premier League history.
Palace are now in 12th still and sit only five points behind ninth-placed Liverpool and ninth-placed Chelsea, and as those two meet each other this weekend, it will favour Palace greatly.
Patrick Vieira's men did lose to Chelsea last weekend, however, while losing to Spurs a week prior to make it an unbeaten start to life in 2023 for his side.
Forebet predicts a victory here for Newcastle once again and for the game to see under 2.5 goals.