Newcastle United vs Leeds United Premier League preview, team news and prediction

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Newcastle United will be looking to secure their third consecutive Premier League victory when they host an in-form Leeds United at St James’ Park on Wednesday night. The Magpies have climbed to ninth in the table, while Leeds, unbeaten in their last seven league games, currently sit 16th.

It’s fair to say Newcastle’s 2025-26 season has been a mixed one so far, but recent wins over Burnley and Crystal Palace have sparked some momentum for Eddie Howe’s side. Those back-to-back victories have propelled Newcastle to ninth place, just two points adrift of fifth-placed Chelsea as gameweek 21 approaches.

January is shaping up to be a hectic month for Newcastle, with eight matches scheduled across four competitions, including an EFL Cup semi-final first leg against Manchester City and Champions League clashes with PSV Eindhoven and Paris Saint-Germain. While Howe’s men are also eyeing progress in the FA Cup, maintaining focus on the Premier League remains crucial to avoid slipping down the table.

Historically, Newcastle have found it tough against Leeds, winning only one of their last seven league meetings. Leeds are unbeaten in their last three visits to St James’ Park, including a 2-1 win in January 2021—the last time a promoted side defeated Newcastle at home in the Premier League.

Leeds, under Daniel Farke, are enjoying a strong run, with their last league defeat coming in a 3-2 loss to Manchester City at the end of November. Since then, they’ve recorded two wins and five draws from seven matches, including draws against Liverpool (twice) and Manchester United, as well as a stalemate with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light to close out last year.

Despite their 16th-place standing, Leeds are eight points clear of the relegation zone and in a solid position in their fight for survival. After this fixture, Farke’s side will turn their attention to the FA Cup with a third-round tie against Derby County, followed by Premier League encounters with Fulham, Everton, and Arsenal before the end of the month.

Newcastle will be without William Osula (ankle), Dan Burn (chest), and Emil Krafth (knee) due to injury for Wednesday’s match, while Anthony Elanga (knee), Jacob Murphy (thigh), and Jamaal Lascelles (fitness) are all considered doubtful. The Magpies are hopeful that Murphy will be fit to feature, but if he is unavailable, Harvey Barnes could be handed a start out wide. In attack, Nick Woltemade is pushing for a return to the starting lineup and, having netted seven Premier League goals this season, may be preferred to Yoane Wissa.

For Leeds, Daniel James (thigh) and Joe Rodon (foot) remain sidelined, while Jayden Bogle (calf) is a doubt for the trip to St James’ Park. With captain Ethan Ampadu available again after serving a suspension, head coach Daniel Farke is likely to stick with the same starting XI that began against Manchester United on Sunday, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin leading the line. Calvert-Lewin has enjoyed an impressive campaign so far, scoring eight Premier League goals, and nearly added to his tally against Man United, striking the post in the first half.

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