Newcastle United and Crystal Palace finished on level terms as yesterday’s match ended 0-0 at Selhurst Park.
Newcastle United looked like the inferior side against Crystal Palace on the road, but they did just enough to maintain the 0-0 result to secure a point in London. Crystal Palace were the better team from the opening whistle, but Newcastle managed to hang on for a clean sheet.
Newcastle were expected to perform better and attack more than they did. The fact that the Magpies could not get a proper offensive flow going in this match does raise concern. Here are five observations from yesterday’s match.
Fernandez is a Leader
Of all the players on the field for Newcastle, Federico Fernandez was the only one to wear his heart on his sleeve. Jamaal Lascelles may be the captain, but Fernandez has proven that he is capable of being a leader for this squad.
Fernandez was smart and brave against Crystal Palace. The Argentine defender did not shy away from making important slide tackles against Wilfried Zaha and Andros Townsend. Fernandez’s willingness to take the initiative to confront top players will serve Newcastle well going forward.
Joselu Looked Good
Supporters are always on edge when they see Joselu either start or come on as a substitute, but he played well yesterday. Joselu had a positive impact immediately after coming on for Salomon Rondon in the 45th minute. The Spaniard almost earned a penalty kick after being pushed down on a set piece and he almost scored a brilliant volley ten minutes later. If Joselu keeps this form up, it would not be surprising to see him start more matches.
Dilemma: Perez and Kenedy
Ayoze Perez and Kenedy are becoming major headaches for Rafa Benitez. Both players have struggled all season and that trend continued yesterday against Crystal Palace. Perez had an amazing opportunity to give the Magpies the lead early on, but aside from that chance he did not provide any contribution. Kenedy is in the same boat as his poor form in recent weeks makes him a likely candidate for a place on the bench.
Set Pieces
Although Newcastle could not develop a good passing rhythm, they did manage to get the ball close enough to the goal to earn several set pieces, primarily corner kicks. The Magpies need to continue this over the next few weeks as they could score some much-need goals from headers. After six matches, Newcastle have only scored four goals.
Wing Play
Newcastle did well in getting the ball out to Kenedy and Matt Ritchie, but the wingers were not able to complete any crosses. This significantly hurt Newcastle on the offensive end and it is a major reason why the Magpies only had six shot attempts all match. Leicester City will not be any easier than Crystal Palace, so Matt Ritchie needs to curl in more crosses next weekend.