Newcastle United will endeavour to boost their Champions League qualification hopes when they welcome Fulham to St James' Park for a Premier League clash on Saturday afternoon.
The Magpies will be seeking revenge against the Cottagers as they suffered a 3-1 away defeat in the reverse fixture in September last year.
Match preview
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Since mid-December, Newcastle have been almost faultless as they have celebrated 10 wins across their last 11 matches in all competitions - a heavy, and somewhat surprising, 4-1 home defeat to high-flying Bournemouth represents the only blot on their copybook during this period.
The Magpies responded to that Premier League loss with a 3-1 away victory over basement club Southampton last weekend, with their talisman Alexander Isak netting a brace to become the first Newcastle player to score in five consecutive PL away matches, and also increase his top-flight goal tally for the season to 17.
Eddie Howe was pleased with the response of his players after going a goal behind at St Mary's; only Manchester City (17) have won more Premier League points from losing positions than Newcastle (15) this season, while the Magpies have now won four games after conceding first in 2024-25, their most in one campaign since 2002-03 (also four).
Sitting fifth in the table and level on points with Man City in fourth, Newcastle have a challenging run of fixtures on the horizon, with this weekend's clash against Fulham followed four days later by their EFL Cup semi-final second leg with Arsenal - a tie they lead 2-0 - and three top-flight battles with Man City, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool.
No team have accumulated more PL points than Newcastle (21) across their last eight games, though, while the Magpies are unbeaten in their last eight top-flight home meetings with Fulham (W5 D3), keeping six clean sheets in the process, so there is reason for Howe and co to be optimistic of success on Saturday.
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Fulham are still harbouring realistic aspirations of securing European football for next season, but a run of just three wins in their last 12 Premier League matches (D6 L3) has not helped their cause.
The Cottagers picked up their first three points of 2025 after beating Leicester City 2-0 at the King Power Stadium a fortnight ago - their fourth away win of the campaign - but they were beaten 1-0 by a struggling Manchester United outfit at Craven Cottage last weekend, conceding the only shot on target they faced in the entire match 12 minutes from time.
Marco Silva bemoaned Fulham's "cruel" defeat and Man United's "very lucky" match-winner after the game, and he now sees his side sitting in 10th place in the Premier League table, seven points behind the top seven and eight points behind the top four with 15 games still remaining.
While Fulham have failed to win any of their last five home league games, they have only lost one of their last seven on the road (W3 D3). The Cottagers have collected a total of 16 points away from home this season, which is only two points fewer than they managed last season.
After beating Newcastle earlier this season, Fulham travel to St James' Park this weekend seeking to complete their third Premier League double over the Magpies, having previously done so in 2006-07 and 2008-09.
Team News
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Newcastle will be without Harvey Barnes (muscle), Callum Wilson (hamstring) and Jamaal Lascelles (ACL) due to injury, while Miguel Almiron has completed a permanent return to Atlanta United after six years at St James' Park.
After missing 11 games with a knee injury, Nick Pope watched on as an unused substitute in Newcastle's win at Southampton, and Howe will now ponder whether to recall his first-choice shot-stopper or continue with Martin Dubravka between the sticks.
Howe will also weigh up whether to recall Sven Botman in defence at the expense of either Fabian Schar or Dan Burn, while the rest of the Magpies' lineup in midfield and attack is set to remain intact.
As for Fulham, Silva has confirmed that Harry Wilson is facing around 10 weeks on the sidelined after being told he needs surgery on a fractured foot, while Reiss Nelson (hamstring) and Kenny Tete (knee) both remain in the treatment room.
The absence of Wilson could see Adama Traore deputise on the right flank, unless Emile Smith Rowe is moved out wide to accommodate captain Tom Cairney in an advanced central role.
Both Smith Rowe and Raul Jimenez were on target in the aforementioned 3-1 win over Newcastle earlier this season, and the latter is once again expected to lead the line, with Rodrigo Muniz providing cover on the substitutes' bench.
Newcastle United possible starting lineup:
Dubravka; Livramento, Botman, Schar, Hall; Guimaraes, Tonali, Joelinton; Murphy, Isak, Gordon
Fulham possible starting lineup:
Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Lukic; Traore, Smith Rowe, Iwobi; Jimenez
We say: Newcastle United 2-1 Fulham
Fulham's recent away from and victory in the reverse fixture against Newcastle will provide them with confidence ahead of Saturday's trip to St James' Park, but the Magpies will still be regarded as favourites to come out on top.
Howe's side will be keen to deliver a much-improved home performance after being outplayed by Bournemouth a fortnight ago, and we believe that the hosts, spearheaded by in-form striker Isak, will find a way to pick up maximum points against the Cottagers.
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Oliver Thomas
