Howe craves more firepower to keep pace
NEWCASTLE will go into February sitting comfortably in the top four. A club-record 15-game unbeaten streak and one defeat all season, plus a Carabao Cup semi-final tomorrow — manager Eddie Howe would have taken that in August.
But with just one goal in their last four league games, Howe’s frustration after this goalless draw with Crystal Palace underlined just how expectations have grown. Newcastle’s quest for a Champions League spot is built on a solid defence. This was their sixth clean sheet in a row. Yet they lacked quality in the final third, with 16 attempts, of which seven were on target, failing to seriously test Palace keeper Vicente Guaita. If anything, Newcastle were fortunate they did not lose. Only Nick Pope’s stunning stop from Jean PhilippeMateta saved them. ‘For the away team to come here and have the amount of possession and control that we did is unusual,’ said Howe.
But he admitted his side must find their shooting boots again. ‘We had chances, we just didn’t take them,’ he said. ‘There were a lot of half-chance moments and presentable opportunities — a lot of moments where we didn’t get our final ball right.’ Either side of a last-minute winner against Fulham, Newcastle have failed to score against Arsenal, Leeds and now Palace. This was their sixth goalless draw of the campaign — three more than anyone else in the division. Callum Wilson, Joelinton and Miguel
Almiron were all in the game here but failed to produce the desired quality to make the breakthrough.
Wilson has not scored for Newcastle since October and, in front of England manager Gareth Southgate, he missed with a free header. Newcastle’s FA Cup defeat by Sheffield Wednesday was a timely reminder that they lack quality outside their core group of players, and after a week when Chris Wood joined Nottingham Forest, Howe reiterated his desire to make additions. ‘You always want options,’ he said. ‘We’re keen to bring a player in.’ Newcastle remain in an enviable position, playing with complete confidence in Howe’s process. There is seemingly no way past Pope and a solid back four, who are the best defence in the league, having conceded only 11 goals. Kieran Trippier was excellent again. But for Newcastle, it is now about making sure they get it right at the other end of the pitch.
CRYSTAL PALACE (4-2-3-1): Guaita 7; Ward 5 (Clyne 71min, 5), Richards 5, Guehi 5, Mitchell 5; Doucoure 6, Schlupp 5 (Hughes 65, 6); Ayew 5, Eze 6 (Olise 65, 5), Zaha 6 (Mateta 65, 6); Edouard 5 (Ozoh 90). Booked: Guehi, Hughes, Doucoure, Hughes. Manager: Patrick Vieira 6
NEWCASTLE (4-3-3): Pope 7; TRIPPIER 7.5, Schar 6, Botman 6, Burn 6; S Longstaff 6, Guimaraes 6, Willock 6 (Saint-Maximin 69, 5); Almiron 6 (Murphy 86), Joelinton 6, Wilson 5 (Isak 69, 5). Booked: Trippier, Joelinton.
Manager: Eddie Howe 6.
Referee: Craig Pawson 7. Attendance: 25,350.