Crystal Palace and Newcastle United finished near neighbours last season -- 15th and 12th of 20 -- so rank alone splits nothing here. Against the block the other keeps: Crystal Palace takes 1.24 points a game, Newcastle United 1.94 -- the block form is Newcastle United's.
Crystal Palace: 45 league matches in the bank, 7 from this season and the rest from last season. Newcastle United: 45 league matches in the bank, 7 from this season and the rest from last season.
The question this step asks
Step one is THE TABLE: rank against rank, and the blocks -- the table cut into a top, middle and bottom block, drawn from last season's final standings. The question is not just where each side stands but how it behaves against the company the other keeps: does it play to rank against the blocks above and below, or come apart?
The two sides
Crystal Palace -- at home
Where it stands
Stands 16th of 20 after 7 games, with 7 points. Last season it finished 15th of 20 in this division.
Its block
By last season's final table it sits in the bottom block (14th to 20th). Blocks are drawn from last season because the current table is only 7 games old.
Against today's opponent's block
Today it faces a side from the middle block (7th to 13th). Against that block it has won 5, drew 6, lost 6 of 17 -- 21 points of 51. At home against them: won 2 of 7. Away against them: won 3 of 10.
Across all the blocks
Across the blocks, over the last two seasons: against the top block won 2, drew 2, lost 9 of 13 (0.62 a game); against the middle block won 5, drew 6, lost 6 of 17 (1.24 a game); against the bottom block won 6, drew 5, lost 3 of 14 (1.64 a game); against sides new to the division won 0, drew 0, lost 1 of 1 (0.00 a game).
Newcastle United -- away
Where it stands
Stands 14th of 20 after 7 games, with 8 points. Last season it finished 12th of 20 in this division.
Its block
By last season's final table it sits in the middle block (7th to 13th). Blocks are drawn from last season because the current table is only 7 games old.
Against today's opponent's block
Today it faces a side from the bottom block (14th to 20th). Against that block it has won 9, drew 4, lost 3 of 16 -- 31 points of 48. At home against them: won 6 of 7. Away against them: won 3 of 9.
Across all the blocks
Across the blocks, over the last two seasons: against the top block won 2, drew 4, lost 9 of 15 (0.67 a game); against the middle block won 4, drew 1, lost 7 of 12 (1.08 a game); against the bottom block won 9, drew 4, lost 3 of 16 (1.94 a game); against sides new to the division won 1, drew 0, lost 1 of 2 (1.50 a game).
Built 06:04 from matches completed before
kick-off. Every figure is an observed count with its denominator —
not a forecast, and nothing here is a tip or a selection.