Key events
That’s four league goals in three games for Harvey Barnes, while Jacob Murphy has 11 assists this season, only Mo Salah beating him. How do you fit Anthony Gordon back in?
Just found a compilation of Murphy’s first-half display.
HALF-TIME: Newcastle 4-0 Crystal Palace
Well, what can I say? The game’s done when, just 15 minutes ago, Palace had a penalty to make it 1-1.
It’s another wonderful ball from the unstoppable Murphy, pleading for a glancing header, and it’s provided by Schär.
GOAL! Newcastle 4-0 Crystal Palace (Schär 45+8)
Newcastle have a free-kick on the right, with Trippier laying off for Murphy to whip … and they’ve got four!
45+6 min Palace have not at all looked a side that should be 3-0 down. But Newcastle are just oozing with confidence and vigour.
It was a clinical break from the hosts, with Sandro Tonali finding Barnes, who searched for the far post with a fine low finish, and found it.
GOAL! Newcastle 3-0 Crystal Palace (Barnes 45+2)
… and he can’t stop scoring. A stepover does for Lacroix as Barnes lets fly with his left foot to seal this match before half time.
45+2 min Mitchell tries to whip a cross from the left but is blocked and Newcastle counter, with Barnes in plenty of space on the Newcastle left …
45 min Seven minutes added on after their lengthy VAR check (as per).
43 min The offside flag goes up after Pope is quick off his line to deny Sarr a shot.
41 min A block from Richards stops Newcastle from making it three. This time they come down the right, Trippier finding Bruno, who finds Isak, just yards out and ready to smash but unable to beat the centre-half.
It’s a fine move down the left by Newcastle, with Joelinton threading through a pass to find the advancing Livramento. He plays in Barnes who tries to square to Isak but the ball deflects of Guéhi and leaves Henderson wrong-footed.
GOAL! Newcastle 2-0 Crystal Palace (Guéhi OG 38)
And then Newcastle go up the other end and double their lead!
Penalty saved by Pope!
36 min Eze takes the ball while England has a word with the players hovering on the edge. Oh it’s a shocking miss! Eze stutters and waits for Pope to dive, the keeper holds his position, then shimmies to his right before diving to the left to collect a weak, weak shot.
Penalty to Crystal Palace!
33 min Pope didn’t need to come out for that, the ball dropping near the edge of his area. Darren England points to the spot!
32 min VAR continues to have a look … and now it’s time for an on-field check …
30 min Palace have a free-kick from range, with Eze standing over, ready to dink into the area. Nick Pope comes a long way off his line and misses the punch. He actually clatters into Richards … and VAR is having a look at a potential penalty!
29 min Trippier’s corner, deep again, searching for a repeat of that League Cup final goal, is headed away. Joelinton knocks into Sarr and play is stopped.
28 min Trippier stands over the ball, ready to whip. Instead he plays it short to Tonali, who dinks it into the area … the ball is nodded out for a corner.
27 min Barnes wins a free-kick out on the Newcastle left after he’s brought down by Hughes.
25 min Eze slips trying to rescue a ball on Palace’s left after Guéhi tries to thread through Newcastle’s lines.
23 min Guéhi, Palace’s captain, is shouting plenty of encouragement/something Mitchell’s way, the left wing-back having had his work cut out trying to deal with Murphy.
22 min Trippier delivers to the far post, but Richards intervenes before Schär has a wild try from range. The ball flies to Sunderland.
21 min Murphy is unleashed again on the right, whipping in a low ball that Richards cuts out to deny Isak. Corner to Newcastle …
20 min A Palace long throw comes in from the right … but Nick Pope collects.
19 min Livramento bursts through on the left before feeding Barnes … but Newcastle’s momentum is halted after Joelinton fouls.
17 min Palace work it patiently around the area, with Guéhi laying off for Will Hughes inside the D … he tries a left-foot curler but can’t find the desired top corner.
Murphy finds space on the right in the area with a ball from Trippier … his head goes up for the cross, a shot most certainly not on because of the tight angle. Oh, never mind, he decides to absolutely rifle it into the roof of the net past Henderson. Stupendous finish.
GOAL! Newcastle 1-0 Crystal Palace (Murphy 14)
Jacob Murphy has had a sublime start to this game.
12 min Trippier makes a nice run into the area to try and play a first-time ball across goal; he can’t get the right direction and power on it.
11 min Palace are camped in their own half as Newcastle’s imposing midfield three get to work.
9 min Murphy is causing havoc on the right. He whips in another cracking cross, with Isak finding space in between two centre-halves … he heads over. Newcastle are playing with a strut.
7 min A stunning save from Henderson, diving low to his left. The move began with quick feet from Guimarães in midfield to find Murphy, who advanced down the right and cut back to Isak on the edge of the area, the shot a real stinger. Palace drive down the other end as the game livens up.
6 min Newcastle are seeing more of the ball … Schär gives away a free-kick in the centre circle after clattering into Mateta.
4 min Palace play it nicely out from the back before Fabian Schär decides to try a first-time hit from around the halfway line, perhaps in the belief that Henderson, in the Palace net, was dozing. He wasn’t.
2 min … Palace avoid any set-piece drama before Newcastle knock it about in defence.
1 min Jacob Murphy takes advantage of slip in the Palace defence to whip in a delicious cross – Alexander Isak can’t get a head on it but the hosts have a corner …
Peeeeeeeep!
Newcastle kick us off, both sides in their home kits. Let’s play!
Crystal Palace have been strong on the road this season, six wins and four losses in their 15 away league games. The two teams are out and doing their handshakes.
I’m looking forward to the battle of the centre-forwards. Jean Philipe-Mateta had a quiet first half of the season after returning from Olympic duty with France but has nine league goals since the start of 2025. Alexander Isak has gone a whole two games without a goal, which simply means he’s due: the Swede has 20 goals in the league this campaign. He won’t pass Mo Salah on 27, but Erling Haaland, on 21, is there for the taking.
Alan Pardew is on punditry duty for Sky, having managed both teams. Let’s hit the dance floor:
Just in case you don’t want to keep me company.
Team news
Newcastle (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Schär, Burn, Livramento; Guimarães, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Barnes.
Subs: Dubravka, Wilson, Gordon, Targett, Krafth, Osula, Willock, Longstaff, Miley.
Crystal Palace (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Lacroix, Guéhi; Muñoz, Lerma, Hughes, Mitchell; Sarr, Eze; Mateta.
Subs: Turner, Nketiah, Franca, Clyne, Kamada, Wharton, Esse, Chilwell, Devenny.
Newcastle are unchanged; no need to tamper with a winning formula. Crystal Palace welcome back Marc Guéhi and Will Hughes from suspensions.
Preamble
Hello, hello, hello and welcome to the big one (forget that Bernabéu nonsense – it’s over).
Crystal Palace may have conceded five in Manchester on the weekend, but these are promising times for them and Newcastle. Oliver Glasner’s side still have European hopes, having won four of their last six league games, and have an FA Cup semi-final against Aston Villa to look forward to. “I think we are in one of the best situations in Crystal Palace’s history now,” said Glasner, “being mid-April and not having to look at what happens behind you and being a little bit worried about getting relegated.”
Newcastle are still enjoying that sweet glow of Carabao success, three wins following that night at Wembley, Manchester United swept aside with ease. They look primed for Champions League football, moving above Nottingham Forest with victory tonight. The dampener has been the health of Eddie Howe, who is recovering from pneumonia. Jason Tindall will take charge again this evening on the touchline and may be in place for the rest of the season.
Kick-off’s at 7.30pm BST. Drop me a line with all your thoughts, queries, concerns, hopes, dreams, whatever suits.
