Another classy Eddie Howe gesture as gritty Newcastle United prediction made

The Magpies will be without their manager for a second game tonight after he was hospitalised with pneumonia. Howe has already been ruled out for this weekend’s trip to Aston Villa and no definitive timeline has been given on his return.

Jason Tindall and Graeme Jones will take the reins when the Magpies aim for a sixth consecutive win across all competitions against Crystal Palace. They face stern opposition, with the Eagles almost stunning Manchester City at the Etihad on Saturday.

Just two defeats in 15 away games were noted by Tindall at his pre-match press conference yesterday. However, Newcastle should be fully motivated as they know victory will lift them up to third in the Premier League.

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Toon fans can then finally begin getting excited about the prospect of Champions League football after whetting their appetites among Europe’s elite last season. Speaking to BBC Sport, former Celtic, Blackburn Rovers and Chelsea striker Sutton predicted a 2-1 home win - a result Newcastle fans would no doubt take.

“Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has had a really tough time and the most important thing is that he makes a speedy recovery from his illness,” he said. “His players put in a performance to make him proud in Sunday's win over Manchester United, and I can see them doing the same again here.

“The Magpies have won four games in a row and, with a top-five place in their sights, I just can't see past them winning this one too on current form, especially at home. It will be close though. Crystal Palace have picked up more points on the road this season than they have at Selhurst Park, and they caused Manchester City plenty of problems early on at the weekend.

“City fought back well to win after going 2-0 down, but we saw how Palace's plan worked early on and how dangerous they are on the break. They will do the same thing this time, with their wing-backs picking their moments to spring forward, and they will certainly pose a threat even if Newcastle have most of the ball.

“I think Palace will score, but Newcastle are going to be hard to keep out. I've always been a fan of Harvey Barnes and, with his competition with Anthony Gordon on the left flank, and Jacob Murphy on the other side, they have got lots of firepower alongside Alexander Isak.”

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