Crystal Palace have kept on surprising this season. Firstly, they break an unwanted record after failing to score and losing their first five league games, and sacked their manager after just four of those opening matches. The run would continue for a further two matches before they managed to end that spell (and win a match) last weekend to the champions, Chelsea.

In terms of recent history with this fixture, when the two teams met in August 2014, Dwight Gayle (then playing for Palace) scored the fastest goal that season with only 29 seconds on the clock. It was this strike from Gayle that ended a run of seven games where Palace failed to score against Newcastle (the last time coming in an FA Cup tie in January 1999 where Palace lost 2-1 at St. James').

Facts and Figures

All Competitions

Newcastle wins: 24

Crystal Palace wins: 9

Draws: 6

Premier League

Newcastle wins: 7

Draws: 3

Crystal Palace wins: 2

Premier League at St. James' Park

Newcastle wins: 3

Draws: 2

Crystal Palace wins: 1

Previous ten (all competitions)

Newcastle wins: 6 (17 goals)

Draws: 3

Crystal Palace wins: 1 (11 goals)

Biggest win (in this fixture)

Newcastle United 6 - 2 Crystal Palace (11/01/1947)

This was the first hurdle of a successful cup run for the Toon. It was a run that ended at the semi-final against the eventual winners, Charlton Athletic. We got to the semi-finals after beating Southampton at home 3-1, Leicester 2-1 in a replay after drawing at home and then a 2-0 away at Sheffield United.

Biggest defeats (in this fixture)

Newcastle United 0 - 1 Crystal Palace (12/01/1907)

Newcastle United 1 - 2 Crystal Palace (16/10/1971)

Newcastle United 1 - 2 Crystal Palace (18/03/1998)

It's quite an achievement to have kept up an excellent record against Crystal Palace in our own backyard, we have only suffered defeat three times in this fixture - all of which were by one goal.

This fixture will be an interesting return of Andros Townsend. The last time Newcastle played Crystal Palace back in April 2016, he scored the only goal of the game during his half season spell on Tyneside. After an uneasy time at Selhurst Park, there were transfer rumours in January and the summer talking of the possibility of Townsend to return to Newcastle but a move hasn't materialised.