The Eagles are set to arrive at St. James’ Park for their first match of the New Year against Crystal Palace, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm GMT. The Magpies recently achieved a much-needed 3-1 victory over Burnley, marking their first league win since early December and boosting their confidence heading into this clash.
Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe provided an encouraging update on full-back Lewis Hall, who sustained a knock during the Burnley match. Howe emphasized Hall’s importance to the team, describing him as a technically gifted, attacking defender who is rapidly improving with each match. He noted that Hall should be available for selection: “He should be OK. We’ll have a closer look at him today.”
Howe also shared positive news regarding other injured players. Kieran Trippier and Tino Livramento have made significant progress in their recoveries, while Sven Botman has resumed training with the group. Conversely, Anthony Elanga is still working towards full training but is getting closer to a return.
Regarding the upcoming match, Howe acknowledged the strengths of Crystal Palace, recognizing them as a formidable opponent with solid defensive capabilities and effective attackers. “It will be a difficult game. Their away form is very good, and they’re a very good defensive team,” he stated. Howe is confident, however, that if his team performs at their peak, they can achieve a positive result.
Looking ahead, Howe noted the critical nature of the fixture schedule for his side, with a challenging month filled with crucial games that could define their season. “This is going to be a season-defining month for us with very minimal rest between games,” he said, hinting at the importance of starting the month positively.
Reflecting on the performance against Burnley, Howe expressed some frustrations about their ball management after initially securing a two-goal lead, indicating that he’s focusing on areas to improve in order to strengthen the team’s overall performance. The optimism in Howe’s outlook and the recent win suggest that the Magpies are ready to tackle the challenges ahead.