Crystal Palace v Newcastle United 22.09.2018 // 3pm
I’M CONFIDENT THAT IF WE PLAY HOW WE KNOW TO PLAY, THEN WE WILL TAKE SOME POINTS FROM THE GAME
THE CAPTAIN 07
it was a very successful trip We are heading into this game against Newcastle United on the back of two very different performances against Southampton and Huddersfield Town.
The Southampton game was a strange one. We prepared our tactics during the week and then in the last 10 minutes of the last training session Wilf got injured which meant we had to change the system, so maybe that maybe affected the team a little bit and possibly meant we weren’t able to give our best performance. It was probably our worst for a long time. I think the international break might have come at a good time for us because we had two weeks to be all together and do more tactical work than we usually do, and because we got the win at Huddersfield we can look back and say it was beneficial. We knew it would be a hard game because they are physically very strong and like to press right throughout the 90 minutes, so it wasn’t an easy win. I believe we deserved it though, especially as we had good chances when we were 1-0 up. We had a little bit of luck when they hit the post, but I think we were the better team. It was an amazing goal from Wilf; we know how dangerous he is from the wing, and the manager recognises that and put him there on the left and he showed why he is one of the best in the league. In the last five or 10 minutes it was hard to defend the lead, but we have plenty of experience and knew how to manage it. We didn’t seem to lose anything; we kept our shape and our heads, so we did very well. For any club in this league to beat Huddersfield at their own stadium will be a tough ask, but we took
PALACE
v
NEWCASTLE UNITED
the points from there so we can say it was a very successful trip. We also managed to stop a run of three defeats in a row, which was especially good away from home, and allowed us to prepare for today’s game in peace and give ourselves the best opportunity to get the win and six points from six. I expect a very tough game because I respect Newcastle as a team and their manager a lot. They didn’t have much luck at the start of the season because they have played four of the top six teams and they lost, but there were games where they should have taken some points. That to me means they are strong and have quality and organisation. If you look at the table they might not have many points, but when you look at their opponents you understand why and I am sure that if we want to win, we need to be better than in our previous matches. We haven’t won at Selhurst Park yet this season, but I don’t feel any extra pressure. I’m confident that if we play how we know to play, then we will take some points from the game, but we have to show that on the pitch. Make some noise!
One of the Premier League’s best-kept secrets may have hit the headlines this week when James McArthur extended his stay with Crystal Palace until 2021, but as he tells Jonathon Rogers, he is keen to once again return to obscurity and do what he does best – play out of his skin for the Eagles.
44 OPPOSITION
Newcastle United
THE MAGPIES FOUNDED: 1892
FOUR ENGLISH LEAGUE TITLES
The manager The Spaniard has transformed the Magpies’ fortunes since he was unable to prevent them returning to the Championship in 2016, masterminding their promotion as champions at the first attempt in his first full season in charge before clinching a remarkable top-half finish last term despite a shoestring budget. Benitez is one of the most decorated managers in world football, having managed giants such as Valencia, Liverpool, Inter Milan, Chelsea, Napoli and Real Madrid, lifting 13 trophies in the process.
Club legend The Geordie hitman returned to his hometown team in the summer of 1996 as one of the world’s greatest players, having fired Blackburn Rovers to a Premier League title and winning the Golden Boot at Euro 96. A world-record £15 million brought him to St James’ Park where he spent a decade leading the Magpies’ line, netting an unsurpassed 206 goals which also saw him become the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer with 260 to his name. Having briefly managed the club, in 2016 a statue of him was unveiled outside St James' Park.
The stadium St James’ Park Capacity: 52,354 Opened: 1892 Record attendance: 68,386 Newcastle United v Chelsea First Division, 3rd September 1930
PALACE
v
NEWCASTLE UNITED
OPPOSITION 45
x4
x6
x4
x1
x1
LAST 5
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal Premier League
Manchester City 2-1 Newcastle Premier League
Nottingham Forest 3-1 Newcastle Carabao Cup
294
Shola Ameobi
303
Alan Shearer
354
Shay Given
MOST PREMIER LEAGUE GAMES
354
Newcastle 1-2 Chelsea Premier League
PALACE
v
NEWCASTLE UNITED
43
Andy Cole
46
Peter Beardsley
148
Alan Shearer
MOST PREMIER LEAGUE GOALS
148
Cardiff City 0-0 Newcastle Premier League
70 IN FOCUS
FACT FILE Date of Birth: 3rd September 2001 Place of birth: London When did you start for Palace? In 2009 in the under-8s Team supported as a youngster: Manchester United, now Palace First footballing idol: Cristiano Ronaldo Career highlight to date: Scoring a hat-trick in the 4-2 win against Watford Favourite food: Sunday roast with chicken
AV EIRO
Favourite TV show: Family Guy or The Simpsons What do you like to do in your spare time? Play Fortnite on PlayStation If you could meet anyone famous, who would it be? Lionel Messi or Will Smith Hopes for the season: I want to win the league, be consistent and maintain a good goal-to-game ratio.
PALACE
v
NEWCASTLE UNITED
IN FOCUS 71
Brandon Aveiro
Signing my first professional contract on my 17th birthday was a dream come true. I’ve been at Palace since I was eight-years-old so to sign my first contract was an unbelievable feeling. I think now when I play I have to work harder and push to where I want to be, which is in the first-team eventually. There’s a little bit more pressure on me now, but I’ll just take that on the chin and play my game. The new intake of under-16s are settling in well to the under-18s side. I think most of us played together last season and so we’ve all gained experience from that. Off the pitch, there’s already quite a good atmosphere between the second and first years so now we have to bring that out further, which shouldn’t be a problem. On the pitch, in training we play at a high intensity and we try to work our hardest to bring that into the matches, and hopefully we can keep that consistent to try and win games. I played for the under-23s in pre-season and you see the change instantly. When I went to train with them, it’s a different step. They’re tighter, you get harder challenges but you get to grips with it after a while. You’ve got to play quicker and do harder work. It’s definitely tougher, but I’d say I’m getting used to it. Playing at that level against boys who’ve been playing for so much longer helps my game. They’re
PALACE
v
NEWCASTLE UNITED
more experienced and know things, and they’ve come across players like me before so you’ve got to get to grips with how to get past them and that totally different atmosphere and style of football. It’s definitely beneficial playing up at that level. I’ve had a good start to the season, but I’m always looking to improve. I’ve been in the gym a lot trying to improve my upper body strength; I’m already quite dominant lower down so I’m just trying to build my strength up. Technically I’m pretty confident at picking up the ball, driving forward, getting into one v one situations and even beating a couple of players then sliding people through. Paddy McCarthy is an unbelievable manager. He’s got this work-rate that you don’t really see from other managers, and he then brings that into our game and we take it on. We gain that leadership that he’s got and hopefully take it into the games. He and Gary Issott are always giving me information to improve my game, and that helps me to improve a lot quicker. TQ Addy is the biggest joker in the dressing room. He’s with the under-23s now but he’s still always in our changing room! He’s a funny guy but it’s a great atmosphere and actually everyone’s quite funny, so it’s a good dressing room to be in. I’m happy being here, it’s a great club to be at.