RYDER’S BET

NEWCASTLE travel to Crystal Palace this weekend and will be looking to reverse their fortunes following a disappointing run.

Their opening five games have proved difficult, coming up against four of last season’s top five teams.

Despite this run of results the team have not disgraced themselves and have only been beaten by the odd goal each time.

The trip to Palace provides them with a good opportunity to kick start the season.

Palace have shown they are vulnerable at home by losing both their games so far this term and the Toon win is priced at 23/10 to make a hat-trick of home defeats for the Eagles.

Palace have also been short of goals so far, failing to score in both home games. It could be expected Rafa Benitez will again play conservative away from home and this could make the under 2.5 goals in the match market interesting at a price of 4/6. Palace’s last two home defeats have been 2-0 to the opposition and for Newcastle to match this result you can get odds of 14/1. Wilfred Zaha is Roy Hodgson’s star man, underlined by his great individual goal last weekend against Huddersfield.

It may be essential the Magpies stop him from influencing the game if they are going to get the result.

As for who is going to make the difference for the Mags, it could well be last season’s top scorer Ayoze Perez.

For him to bag a goal at anytime this weekend you can get 14/5, whereas 8/1 is available for him to score the first.

This Saturday I am looking to back the anytime wincast of Perez to score and Newcastle to win, priced at 13/2. Newcastle to pick up a point in the game at 23/10 ADAM SMITH