Newcastle defenders Fabian Schar and Dan Burn were outspoken
Dan Burn and Fabian Schar’s frustration was evident after Crystal Palace’s last-minute equalizer, with the pair visibly angry as they punched the air in exasperation. Despite earning a point, Newcastle United’s 1-1 draw felt more like a loss, capping off a difficult week for the Magpies.
Newcastle had hoped to climb into third with wins over struggling West Ham and Palace. However, they now sit in 10th, having taken just one point from a possible six. With the league table tightly packed, the missed opportunities feel significant, especially considering the challenges ahead with matches against top teams Liverpool and Brentford.
A key issue for Newcastle has been their inability to find the back of the net. With only two shots on target in their last two matches, they failed to test Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson on Saturday, and their xG against Palace was a mere 0.02. Last season, only Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool scored more goals than Newcastle, but this season, only five teams have scored fewer.
Newcastle did manage to take the lead with an own goal from Palace’s Marc Guehi, but they couldn’t hold onto it. Howe admitted his side is “way off” their previous attacking form, and the late equalizer in the 93rd minute left him apologizing to the traveling fans for not getting the win.
Anthony Gordon echoed his manager’s frustrations, saying Newcastle’s failure to capitalize on two “massive opportunities” was unacceptable for a team with aspirations to climb the table. Despite the disappointment, it could have been worse, as Palace boss Oliver Glasner stated his side deserved to win.
Injuries also played a role, with Alexander Isak forced off early in the first half. Even with him in the lineup, Newcastle struggled to generate meaningful chances, as evidenced by their inability to break down a West Ham team that had conceded five goals to Arsenal.
Crystal Palace created several chances throughout the match. Ismaila Sarr was denied by Nick Pope early on, and moments later, they nearly punished Newcastle with a break that saw Sarr cross to Munoz, who missed an open opportunity. The Magpies were let off the hook, but after the break, a clever set-piece routine led to Guehi’s own goal.
Newcastle’s defense was tested again by Palace, with Guehi and Sarr both coming close to scoring, while Pope made a crucial save to deny Sarr. Despite these efforts, Palace’s persistence paid off in the dying moments when Guehi’s cross was headed in by Munoz, forcing Newcastle to settle for a draw.
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