Newcastle United 1-0 Crystal Palace

Substitute Mikel Merino scored a late winner as Newcastle beat Crystal Palace to keep Roy Hodgson's side rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.

Palace are five points from safety after nine games, but former England boss Hodgson remains confident his side can beat the drop.

"Why should I not believe that?" said the 70-year-old. "I shall stop believing when the number of points that we are behind doesn't match the number of games that are left.

"That's not going to happen in October. That could happen some time in March, April, I would think, at the earliest, so there's a lot of work to do before then."

Palace had scored their first goals and got their first win of the campaign against champions Chelsea last week, and looked more likely to take the three points for much of the afternoon at St James' Park.

But Merino headed in four minutes from time in a game that did not see a shot on target until the final 20 minutes.

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"We have beaten the champions and we have come here to St James' Park against a Newcastle team doing very well and once again matched them," added Hodgson.

"(We) even were the stronger team through large periods of the game, so why should I not have belief?"

Yohan Cabaye's late tackle on DeAndre Yedlin was a flash point, but the Palace midfielder escaped with a yellow card against his old club.

The victory lifts Newcastle into the top six and above Arsenal and Liverpool, who visit Everton and Tottenham respectively on Sunday.

Newcastle impress amid takeover talk

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley put the club up for sale this week and several potential suitors are reported to be interested in a takeover, but while there is uncertainty surrounding the Magpies off the pitch, on it the club have now made their best start to a Premier League season since 2011-12.

Ashley said he hopes to conclude a deal by Christmas - music to the ears of boss Rafa Benitez, who felt he did not get the backing he needed in the transfer market this summer following promotion from the Championship, and has been quick to talk up the club's potential.

The Spaniard's side have made a promising start to their first year back in the top flight, but they looked void of ideas in attack for large parts of the game against Crystal Palace, and Benitez will no doubt be asking for reinforcements in January.

The former Liverpool boss brought midfielder Merino on 10 minutes into the second half and it was the Spain Under-21 international who provided the Magpies' spark.

He rose highest in the box to meet Matt Ritchie's corner and head into the roof of the net, earning the hosts their fourth Premier League win of the season.

Lack of striking options costs Palace

Crystal Palace lost their opening seven Premier League games without scoring a goal, before earning a shock victory over champions Chelsea last time out.

Boss Roy Hodgson warned the Eagles they would be "foolish" to get carried away by that result, and the former England manager proved correct as his side had the better of the game against Newcastle but failed to come away with even a point.

Palace's lack of fit striking options saw Hodgson stick with Zaha and Andros Townsend as his front two, but the visitors lacked a focal point as the forward pair tended to drift wide into their more natural positions.

The visitors' best chance came when Townsend and Zaha linked up, however, with the former Newcastle man crossing from the right for striker partner Zaha to head wide at the back post.

That came moments after Eagles midfielder Cabaye had caught Newcastle defender Yedlin late. The Frenchman was quick to apologise for a poor tackle, and referee Stuart Attwell opted for a yellow card.

Ultimately, Palace failed to record an effort on target and an inability to capitalise while they were on top cost Hodgson's outfit, who are four points adrift at the bottom of the table.

Man of the match - Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace)

'We are in a good position' - Benitez

Newcastle manager Rafa Benitez: "It is important to get three points in a difficult game. They had confidence and were working hard.

"It is another step forward. The main thing is we keep pushing and winning games.

"We have a very clear idea and have to take one game at a time. At the moment we are in a good position."

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson: "There were some very good performances from us in particular. The quality of our play was very good.

"We needed more than a goal to take one point and set plays are always a problem. It was unfortunate as our player got his head to the ball but headed it against the Newcastle bloke.

"I cannot criticise our performance. From the first minute to the last it was everything I expected and under normal circumstances would have got us a result."

Palace firing blanks on the road - the stats

• Rafael Benitez has never lost a home league game in English football against a coach who has also managed the English national team (W17 D4).
• Crystal Palace have failed to score in their last seven Premier League away games - their longest such run in the top flight.
• Mikel Merino scored his first ever Premier League goal in what was his ninth appearance in the competition.
• The Magpies have lost only one of their last 10 Premier League games on home soil (W6 D3 L1).
• It is the second time Crystal Palace have failed to register a shot on target since Roy Hodgson took charge (also v Man City).
• Newcastle have not lost a home Premier League game against a side starting that day bottom since March 1998, winning seven and drawing five.

What's next?

Newcastle visit Burnley in the Premier League a week on Monday (20:00 BST).

Crystal Palace travel to Bristol City in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday (19:45), before hosting fellow strugglers West Ham on Saturday (15:00).