Crystal Palace head to St James’ Park to face Newcastle United this Sunday (January 4th 2026), and for all the noise around injuries, there are still clear ways we can land some punches on the Toon. Newcastle have shown they can control territory without always finishing the job, which is exactly the kind of opponent Palace can frustrate and then hurt in bursts.
Glasner’s Palace are at their best when we turn structure into momentum: win the ball, go vertical, and use the wing-back plus the two inside forwards to create quick overloads. Glasner’s 3-4-2-1 funnels opponents into wide pressing traps, then springs forward once the ball is recovered. With Daniel Muñoz still out, that right side looks different, but the patterns can still work with Nathaniel Clyne playing the role with a more conservative flavour.
| Pattern to exploit | What triggers it | Who it suits | What we want at the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wide trap to fast vertical | Newcastle full-back receives near the touchline | Lerma, Wharton, Mateta | One pass into feet, one run beyond, shot or cut-back |
| Set-piece pressure and second balls | Corners, wide free kicks, long throws | Guehi, Lacroix, Lerma, Mateta | First contact, then chaos on the rebound |
Pattern 1: Set the wide trap, then punch through the middle
Newcastle are happiest when they can squeeze you back and recycle pressure. Even in their Boxing Day defeat at Manchester United, they saw a lot of the ball and kept coming in the second half, but could not turn it into goals. That matters because Palace do not need to out-possess Newcastle to win the best moments.
The idea is simple: invite the ball into a wide lane, spring the press, then go straight into the channel behind their midfield line. Glasner’s system is built to force play wide and jump aggressively with the wing-back plus the nearest forward, creating a trap that turns into a transition attack.
With Muñoz injured, Clyne’s job is to be reliable first, then selective. That can actually help the pattern: win it, release early, and let the forwards do the running. The key pass is the first vertical ball into Mateta’s feet, or into the inside forward dropping between Newcastle’s midfield and centre-backs. Once Newcastle step in to engage, the next run is the killer: a third-man sprint beyond, or a switch to the far side if they collapse on the ball.
Pattern 2: Make set pieces feel like open-play chances
If Palace are going to get a result away from home, set pieces and second balls can be the genuine equaliser. This is not just “lump it in and hope,” it is a repeatable source of pressure, especially when legs are heavy and clearances stop travelling.
Palace under Glasner have been credited with strong set-piece output this season, especially when we can get those throw-ins that feel like corners from Lerma and (when not injured) Richards. That matches what we see with our delivery and our willingness to attack the six-yard box. Newcastle have also shown they can be drawn into messy defensive sequences, and once you force them to defend two and three phases, gaps will open.
The exploit here is the rebound, not only the header. Attack the first contact hard, then keep numbers around the edge of the box for the loose ball. If we can turn corners into sustained pressure, we can create the kind of scrappy chances Palace have had in recent matches, where Glasner has pointed to finishing as the genuine difference.
Newcastle weak links Palace can target
| Weak link to press | Why it is vulnerable | What Palace should do |
|---|---|---|
| Right-back slot (if it is makeshift) | Newcastle are dealing with fitness issues at full-back, and at least one predicted XI has a midfielder (Lewis Miley) filling in at the back. | Force that side to defend 1v1, then attack the space behind when they step out. Make them turn and run. |
| Left-back / left channel (Hall not 100%) | Lewis Hall has been listed as a late fitness test with an ankle or foot issue. Even if he plays, it can affect recovery runs and duels. | Isolate him with our right-sided attacker, then use underlaps into the inside channel to drag him narrow. |
| Centre-back partnership and match sharpness | Botman has been “in and around” contention but still flagged as a late call, and Newcastle have rotated at centre-back this season. | Test them early with Mateta contact, then hit the second ball zone for Eze and the inside forwards. |
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