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Newcastle vs Crystal Palace

Two games into the new premier league season and Newcastle have yet to score. In the opening game they lost 0-2 at home to Man City and failed to register a single shot on target from 12 attempts. New signing Remy Cabella looked lively and created a number of chances but new boy Riviere was wasteful and had a poor game.

Last weekend Newcastle drew 0-0 away at Villa and maybe just about edged it over 90 minutes but failed to find the winning goal. Riviere again wasteful and Brad Guzan made a good save late on from Siem de Jong.

Newcastle beat Gillingham 0-1 away in the cup midweek with the only goal coming from an O.G from Gillingham’s John Egan so in 3 games so far this season, a Newcastle player has yet to get on the scoresheet despite 33 attempts on goal.
Palace opened up the season with a 2-1 away loss at Arsenal. Palace were unfortunate with the timing of both Arsenal goals as both came in stoppage time of both halves but overall the best team won the game.

Palace then followed up with a 1-3 home loss to West Ham last weekend and deserved to lose as West Ham were the better team on the day. Palace have since won 0-3 away at Walsall in the cup with Dwight Gayle (who hasn’t started either premier league game) scoring a hattrick.

This looks set to be a low scoring affair and 0-0 can’t be ruled out here considering Newcastle’s goal shy start to the season but with Newcastle averaging 12 attempts per game and Palace conceding an average of 16 shots per game I expect Newcastle to finally make one count and nick all 3pts.

My Prediction: 1-0 & 0-0

West Ham vs Southampton

West Ham started the season with a 0-1 home loss to Tottenham. West Ham were awarded a penalty in the 28th minute which resulted in Tottenham going down to 10 men but despite West Ham creating a number of chances, they failed to make their man advantage count.

In the 62′ minute Collins was sent off which saw the game evened up at 10 a side and Tottenham then got back in to the game and took all 3pts in stoppage time.

West Ham then followed up with a great 1-3 away win at Palace and fully deserved the win racking up 17 attempts on goal along the way with 2 good goals from Zarate & Downing. West Ham were dumped out of the cup midweek, losing 5-4 on pens to Sheffield Utd after drawing 1-1 racking up 23 attempts on goal.

Southampton opened up with a narrow 2-1 away loss at Liverpool. A game they were unfortunate not to take something from. Last weekend they drew 0-0 at home with West Brom in a game of very few chances.
Southampton have brought in 6? striker Graziano Pelle from Feyenoord who scored 50 goals in 57 apps for them in the last 2 seasons and knows where the goal is although the Dutch league is nowhere near as strong as the premier league I think this guy will bag the goals if given the service.

Southampton made light work of Millwall in the cup running out 0-2 winners, limiting Millwall to very few chances whilst having 17 attempts on goal themselves. Pelle & Cork also getting their 1st Southampton goals.

Many people are tipping Southampton to struggle this season but I don’t see that at all. Pelle is no worse than Lambert, Tadic & Long are also good additions and Fraser Forster is a solid GK who holds the record in the SPL for longest time without conceding a goal.

Fancy goals in this one but there isn’t any of the 3 outcomes that would surprise me. I wouldn’t be surprised if either team won & a draw also wouldn’t surprise me.

My Prediction: 2-1, AOD & 1-2

See Match Ratings?predictions for the other 5 matches here >>


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