Newcastle vs Leeds Predictions

• Newcastle are unbeaten in 11 home games, winning nine times
• Leeds have failed to win any of their last seven away games
• The Magpies have scored exactly twice in nine straight home matches

Magpies can make the most of home comforts

Back-to-back wins over Burnley and Crystal Palace have helped Newcastle return to Premier League’s top half and they can keep the feelgood factor going with victory over Leeds at fortress St James’ Park.

The Magpies were fully deserving of Sunday’s 2-0 home win over Palace, having won the shots-on-target count 7-1, and that stretched their unbeaten run on their own patch to 11 matches.

Eddie Howe’s side have won nine of those fixtures, drawing 2-2 only to Chelsea and Tottenham, and they will be keen to keep the run going against a Leeds side that are winless in seven on the road.

Leeds arrive on Tyneside on a seven-game winless run, having defeated Chelsea and shared the spoils with Liverpool (twice) and Manchester United.

However, Daniel Farke’s side have faced a number of high-intensity fixtures in a short period of time and they were slightly second best in the recent 1-1 draw at home to United, who edged the xG battle 1.46 to 0.92.

In the goalless draw against Liverpool at Anfield prior to that, Leeds lost the shot count 19-4 and Newcastle should be hopeful of creating enough chances to claim maximum points.

An evening home game under the lights is exactly what Newcastle’s supporters crave and Yoane Wissa’s return from injury has added an extra dimension to their attack, relieving some of the pressure on giant German Nick Woltemade.

Leeds still have some road woes to address

For all Leeds are on a decent run, they have won only one of their ten away league games and that success came at bottom club Wolves.

Newcastle should dominate the midfield battle and that can inspire them to victory, although four of Leeds’s last five league games have gone under 2.5 goals and they may have to grind it out.

These sides played out a goalless draw at Elland Road in August, so it may not be a free-scoring clash, and one or both teams have failed to score in three of Newcastle’s last five league games.

Four of the last five rivalries have also featured two or fewer goals and backing Newcastle to win 2-0 looks the shrewd play for correct-score punters. The Magpies have scored exactly twice in each of their last nine home games, three of which ended in a 2-0 success.