Crystal Palace 0-2 Newcastle United: result and report

The Pundit picked Crystal Palace (39%): wrong

Report

Newcastle United won 2-0 at Selhurst Park, though the scoreline flatters them. Crystal Palace created the better chances and tested the goalkeeper more often, while Newcastle United made the most of a short spell straight after half-time.

How the game turned

The match was goalless at the break, but it changed within two minutes of the restart. William Osula put Newcastle United ahead on 47 minutes, with Jacob Murphy providing the assist.

Harvey Barnes doubled the lead on 58 minutes from Amar Dedic's assist. Crystal Palace still had more than half an hour to respond, yet they never found a way back.

Crystal Palace finished with the better xG, 1.83 to 1.11. They also had nine shots to six and four on target to two.

Big chances were level at two each, but the difference was in what happened next. Pierre Sage's side missed both of theirs, while Newcastle United took one of their two.

The pressure readings were close across the match, with Crystal Palace slightly ahead on average. That suggests a fairly even contest rather than one Newcastle United dominated, despite the two-goal margin.

Newcastle United: Lukas Hornicek and the finishing

Lukas Hornicek was named player of the match after making four saves, and that is the heart of this result. Because Crystal Palace put four efforts on target and none went in, his work kept the clean sheet intact.

At the other end, both of Newcastle United's shots on target went in. Crystal Palace's goalkeeper therefore never had a save to make. Newcastle United still carried some threat, though, finishing with nine key passes to Crystal Palace's eight.