Newcastle United will return to Premier League action at Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon.
Eddie Howe’s side have spent the last three weeks bruised by their Tyne-Wear derby defeat against Sunderland and have been unable to provide an instant reaction to that disappointing loss as the final international break of the season took place. However, all focus is now on producing a strong end of the campaign and with seven games remaining, Newcastle are still in contention to secure a place in European competition for the third time in four seasons.
As it stands ahead of their visit to Selhurst Park, the Magpies are sitting in twelfth place in the Premier League table - but they are just four points adrift of the top seven and a further three points adrift of the Champions League places. There is little room for error for Howe and his players ahead of the final run-in and they have to show a reaction to that derby loss against Sunderland in the wake of the understandable criticism they received for their performance against the Black Cats.
With another crucial weekend lying ahead, we take a look at everything you need to know as Newcastle prepare to return to action with a tough-looking visit to Selhurst Park.
Where and when does Crystal Palace v Newcastle United take place?
Newcastle’s visit to Crystal Palace will take place on Sunday, April 12 at the Eagles’ Selhurst Park home. Kick-off has been scheduled for 2pm.
What is the latest team news ahead of Crystal Palace v Newcastle United?
Fabian Schaer of Newcastle United celebrates with teammate Bruno Guimaraes after scoring his team's fourth goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Crystal Palace FC at St James' Park on April 16, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)placeholder image
Fabian Schaer of Newcastle United celebrates with teammate Bruno Guimaraes after scoring his team's fourth goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United FC and Crystal Palace FC at St James' Park on April 16, 2025 in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There was mixed news for Magpies boss Eddie Howe as he confirmed captain Bruno Guimaraes is not expected to return until a visit to Arsenal later this month and defender Fabian Schar has undergone another operation that will rule him out of the visit to the capital. However, Lewis Miley will be back in contention following a leg injury and Sven Botman will also return - although the Dutch defender is expected to wear a facial mask if he does feature after suffering an injury in the derby defeat against Sunderland. Former Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah is expected to miss out for Palace after he picked up a hamstring injury and Cheick Doucoure is a doubt for the game.
What has Eddie Howe said ahead of Crystal Palace v Newcastle United?
Eddie Howeplaceholder image
Eddie Howe | AFP via Getty Images
Speaking at his pre-match press conference, Howe said: "It's always interesting when you see teams ebb and flow in terms of momentum. We've been victims of that ourselves this season - we've gone into good spells and then we've struggled to back that up consistently. Crystal Palace is always a tough game, home or away. I watched them, of course, last night, and I've watched them in preparation for this game. They're a very well organised team, they've got a superb coach and some really good, dangerous players so we'll have to be at our best. It's always a difficult game at Selhurst Park.
"I think the break probably came at a good time for us, on reflection. At the time I felt we wanted to play as soon as we could, but I think it gave the players a chance to detach. The majority went away internationally, so a different focus for them. For us that were here, there was a group of six players that we trained with and all the staff, we were very much focused on reflection and analysis and team performances, so we've gone into a very analytical mode to try and focus on the next seven games and try and get back to our very best form. Very quickly, our focus went to that. Criticism's part of when you lose big games like that. You know that's part of the deal and we've had to take that and are fully prepared to do so."
What has Oliver Glasner said about Crystal Palace v Newcastle United?
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Oliver Glasner | Getty Images
The Eagles boss said: “We are not planning to rotate massively, because I’m convinced the players are fresher now, and the best preparation for every single game is a good performance and a good result in the game before. This is how we want to go to Florence, with a good performance and a good result, and therefore we need fresh players, and, of course, a good performance.
“We always decide the day before the game, or on a game day, how the players present, and I mentioned it, so we’re always taking the blood, we see the objective parameter, how fatigued they are, and then talking to the players, and if they feel ready, then we start. We had a good break, good recovery, and the players look fresh, but if I feel it’s necessary to rotate six players, I will rotate six players, because we never risk any injuries.”
Has Crystal Palace v Newcastle United been selected for live television broadcast?
Yes, the fixture will be broadcast live on Sky Sports via their Sky Sports Action and Sky Sports Ultra HDR channels. Coverage gets underway at 12.30pm on Sunday, April 12, an hour and a half before kick-off at Selhurst Park. The fixture will also be broadcast live on BBC Radio 5Live Sports Extra 2 and BBC Newcastle.
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