Match ends, Crystal Palace 1, Newcastle United 0.
Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace1NewcastleNewcastle United0
Crystal Palace secured their first win of 2020 thanks to Patrick van Aanholt's superb first-half free-kick which saw off visitors Newcastle.
The victory also ended a run of three league defeats for Roy Hodgson's side who benefitted from yet another ragged display by the visitors.
The Magpies' regular saviour Martin Dubravka had made two superb stops from Gary Cahill and Scott Dann before Van Aanholt found a way past him just before half-time with a glorious 20-yard strike.
Jordan Ayew went close on a couple of occasions, one of which came off the foot of the post, while Belgian Christian Benteke really should have done better with a header from six yards out.
Newcastle managed only two shots on target. Vicente Guaita was at full stretch to keep out a long-range effort from Joelinton and tipped over a fierce effort from Fabian Schar.
And to round off a thoroughly disappointing day for the visitors, January signing Valentino Lazaro was shown a straight red in stoppage time for hauling down Wilfried Zaha, who was through on goal.
The win moves Palace above Newcastle into 13th with 33 points. Newcastle drop down to 14th, with 31 points, seven clear of the drop zone.
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Palace attack thrives against Newcastle
Thanks to Van Aanholt's strike Palace are no longer the team with the fewest goals scored in the league. But having drawn level with Newcastle (also 24) they really should have ended the match well clear.
The Eagles managed six shots on target in a one-sided first half - equalling their best in an entire game this season - with Dubravka thwarting them twice with two remarkable saves.
Both Ayew and Zaha were allowed plenty of space against a Newcastle side set up with five at the back. Ayew in particular impressed, coming in from the right to produce seven efforts on goal - five of which were on target.
The Ghanaian summer signing was inches away from ending his five-game drought when his low strike from 10 yards cannoned off the post before Newcastle's keeper denied him from similar range.
As for Benteke, it was one of his better games but his first-half headed miss might play on his mind for a while longer.
This was a better attacking display from Palace, but they played a Newcastle side in a generous mood.
Joelinton fires another blank
That is now no goals in three matches for Steve Bruce's side, and the discussions over striker Joelinton's inclusion in the XI will become more heated.
The Brazilian, signed for £40m in the summer, has scored only one goal in the league and this week his boss suggested the Brazilian was not a natural goalscorer but a "team player".
There is little argument over the 23-year-old's workrate but, like Bruce also said, he needs to be more selfish.
The forward did bring the travelling support to their feet with his brilliant first-half strike which was kept out by Guaita, but it is in the penalty area where the fans want him to impose himself.
The touchmap above shows he only twice managed to get on the ball in the box, and even then it was near the edge.
For how much longer will Bruce persist with him?
Man of the match - Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace)
'Maybe it's time to change' - reaction
Palace boss Roy Hodgson: "It was hard to lose three in a row especially when in the last two we were hard done by. We dominated the game but I am disappointed we had to suffer towards the end. When it's 1-0 they are never out of the picture.
"It's our first win in 2020. It was vitally important, and had we conceded in the last few minutes it would have been disastrous. That would have knocked us for six.
"But it's a win that moves us up the table and away from the relegation zone. We never lost sight that this would be a dogfight and we wanted to stay ahead of the curve on that."
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce: "The better team won. We have had decent possession, but we gave the ball away too cheaply especially when in good areas.
"We didn't ask questions, maybe it is a time to change - we have to score to win a game. It was difficult with the conditions, but we have no complaints saying the better team won."
On Lazaro's red card: "With 10 seconds to go, does the referee really have to send him off? Is a yellow not sufficient? But rules are rules, and we will abide by it.
"He played very well today, we didn't find him enough - in wide areas, we ignored the lad. We needed to get it out to him, but he played very well.
"Our biggest problem all season has been evident - we have to create more of a threat in the opponent's area. We have to look at it and analyse it. Maybe change is sometimes for the best."
Van Aanholt: the best attacking defender? - stats
- Palace secured their first win in eight Premier League games, after losing three and drawing four.
- Newcastle have managed just one win in their last nine Premier League games (D3 L5).
- Palace registered their first clean sheet in 11 top-flight games, since a 0-0 draw with Watford in December 2019.
- Newcastle have failed to score in three consecutive Premier League games for the first time since January 2016.
- Palace directed nine shots on target, more than in any of their other Premier League games this season (six came in the first half).
- Since returning to the Premier League ahead of the 2014-15 season, Van Aanholt has scored 20 goals in the competition, more than any other defender.
What's next?
Palace are at Brighton in the Premier League next Saturday (12:30 GMT) while the Magpies are at home to Burnley (15:00).
Line-ups
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-3-3
- 31Guaita
- 2Ward
- 6Dann
- 24Cahill
- 3van Aanholt
- 8KouyatéSubstituted forRiedewaldat 89'minutes
- 22McCarthyBooked at 14mins
- 18McArthurBooked at 74mins
- 9J Ayew
- 17BentekeSubstituted forTosunat 89'minutes
- 11Zaha
Substitutes
- 7Meyer
- 10Townsend
- 13Hennessey
- 20Tosun
- 34Kelly
- 40Pierrick Keutcha
- 44Riedewald
Newcastle
Formation 5-4-1
- 1Dubravka
- 23LazaroBooked at 90mins
- 18Fernández
- 6LascellesBooked at 40mins
- 5Schär
- 28RoseSubstituted forRitchieat 71'minutesBooked at 83mins
- 24AlmirónBooked at 32minsSubstituted forGayleat 71'minutes
- 36S LongstaffBooked at 90mins
- 42BentalebBooked at 21mins
- 10Saint-Maximin
- 9JoelintonBooked at 88mins
Substitutes
- 11Ritchie
- 12Gayle
- 14Hayden
- 20Lejeune
- 22Yedlin
- 26Darlow
- 43M Longstaff
- Referee:
- Peter Bankes
- Attendance:
- 25,486
Match Stats
Home TeamCrystal PalaceAway TeamNewcastle
- Possession
- Home44%
- Away56%
- Shots
- Home18
- Away8
- Shots on Target
- Home9
- Away2
- Corners
- Home7
- Away5
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Crystal Palace 1, Newcastle United 0.
Post update
Attempt missed. Patrick van Aanholt (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
Booking
Sean Longstaff (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card.
Dismissal
Valentino Lazaro (Newcastle United) is shown the red card.
Post update
Foul by Valentino Lazaro (Newcastle United).
Post update
Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Corner, Crystal Palace. Conceded by Nabil Bentaleb.
Post update
Foul by Matt Ritchie (Newcastle United).
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Joel Ward (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Jairo Riedewald replaces Cheikhou Kouyaté because of an injury.
Substitution
Substitution, Crystal Palace. Cenk Tosun replaces Christian Benteke.
Booking
Joelinton (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card.
Booking
Matt Ritchie (Newcastle United) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Foul by Matt Ritchie (Newcastle United).
Post update
Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Attempt missed. Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by James McCarthy.
Post update
Nabil Bentaleb (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by James McCarthy (Crystal Palace).
Post update
Jamaal Lascelles (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Comments
Join the conversation
I wonder who got the commission off that purchase ????????
NO HE DID NOT. Ashley bought Joelinton and it was ratified by Bruce. Nothing to do with Rafa.
5 minutes ago
Bruce has paid 40 million quid for someone he calls a team player rather than a natural goalscorer. He needs his head examined.
Bruce didn't spend the money Ashley had agreed the deal before his puppet took over. Bruce has no say in who is brought in, he only says who he likes but Ashley buys who he wants. Bruce is another Pardew, an Ashley toady