Crystal Palace (A) Pre-match thoughts, team news, possible line-ups & prediction

A huge 10 days await for Newcastle United, who have one vital Premier League game, two Carabao Cup semi-finals and up to three players to sign between now and January 31st.

This was tipped to be a quiet month on the transfer front, despite ongoing links with a midfielders, wingers and a host of young right-backs, but we now have a forward to sign following Chris Wood's sudden move to Nottingham Forest.

Back to matters on the pitch, results earlier in the week have only given us a bigger incentive to take all three points at Palace. Third place Man Utd dropped two points at Selhurst Park thanks to Michael Olise's superb 90th minute strike, while Spurs - currently fifth - lost 4-2 at Man City despite going into the break 2-0 up.

As a result, we now have a game in hand on Antonio Conte's men and will go EIGHT points clear of Tottenham with a win at Crystal Palace today. With Liverpool and Chelsea also set to take points off each other in the lunchtime kick-off and Man Utd travelling to the Emirates on Sunday without the suspended Casemiro, this weekend feels like a big chance to boost our top four hopes.

Palace will be no pushovers, however. Here's what Eddie Howe's had to say about tonight's 5.30pm clash in South London:

"The two games we've had against them have been very tight. It's always a tough place to go.

"We go there in good form but we don't underestimate the challenge. Patrick Vieira is a very good manager and they have some very dangerous players."

Team news

Bruno Guimaraes has travelled with the squad and declared himself fit to feature - incredible news and a huge pre-match relief given he went off in tears last weekend in fear he'd suffered a serious ankle injury.

Jonjo Shelvey (calf) and Matt Targett (heel) are 'three weeks' away according to Howe, Emil Krafth (ACL) remains out and there'll be no Chris Wood following his move to Forest.

For the hosts, Patrick Vieira will be force to go without first-choice centre-back Joachim Andersen, who has been ruled out with a calf strain.

Predicted line ups

(4-3-3): Pope – Trippier, Schar, Botman, Burn – Joelinton, Longstaff, Willock – Almiron, Wilson, Murphy.

Bruno Guimaraes may have declared himself fit, but I don't see Howe risking him from the off - especially when we have the first of two cup semi-finals to play next Tuesday.

I can therefore see Joelinton moving back into midfield alongside Willock and Longstaff, with Jacob Murphy getting his chance out wide.

Having heard a few pre-match whispers, it sounded like he will get the nod ahead of Allan Saint-Maximin at Selhurst Park.

The back five picks itself on a night that sees Nick Pope searching for his NINTH consecutive clean sheet in all competitions and I'd also expect Callum Wilson to get the nod ahead of Alexander Isak; who is still being eased back into the fold after three months out.

Prediction

Considering we can go eight points clear of fifth with a win, I don't expect complacency to creep in here.

Bruno will be missed if he's not fit enough to start and Crystal Palace have plenty of tricky customers, with Zaha, Eze and Olise all tough to contain at their best, but we boast THE top performing defence in European football right now and could benefit from Andersen's absence at the other end.

Almiron to get back on the goal trail in a tight win over the Eagles!

Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-2 Newcastle