Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United will look to make it three wins in a row when they hit the road to face Fulham at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
Marco Silva’s Fulham will look to return to winning ways when they host a high-flying Newcastle United team that are on a run in the new campaign.
The home team kick-started the new season with a disappointing 1-0 loss at the hands of Manchester United. But they bounced back with a 2-1 win against Leicester City on Matchday 2. While they have been unbeaten since their defeat at the hands of the Red Devils, the game against the Foxes was their only win in the league.
The Cottagers have played out back-to-back draws in the league. Fulham were on the verge of beating West Ham United before an injury-time equaliser from Danny Ings spoiled the party. They were also knocked out of the EFL Cup by Preston North End, and things do not look bright for them heading into the fixture against the Magpies.
Meanwhile, the visitors have been unbeaten since the start of the new season. They have won three of their four league outings so far. The Magpies have won their last two outings against Tottenham and Wolves, and they will be confident about getting it done against Fulham.
While they were behind for the majority of the time against Wolves, two late goals in the second half saw them secure a comeback win. They will look to keep their unbeaten run intact and push for their third league win in a row. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
Fulham
The home team will be without the services of Carlos Vinicius, who is out injured with a calf issue. Apart from him, Marco Silva has a full squad to choose from. The Portuguese tactician fielded an entirely different XI in the game against Preston North End, and he is expected to return to his preferred XI for this Premier League clash.
Fulham will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Bernd Leno will be in goal. The back four will be made up of Kenny Tete, Joachim Andersen, Calvin Bassey, and Antonee Robinson. Tete and Robinson will be on the flanks, while Andersen and Bassey will take charge in the heart of the defence.
In the centre of the park, Sander Berge will start alongside Andreas Pereira. The duo will shield the backline and look to control the tempo of the game. Emile Smith Rowe will be the attacking midfielder, while Adama Traore and Alex Iwobi will provide width to their attacks. Former Wolves ace Raul Jimenez will lead the line for Fulham against Newcastle United.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, Andersen, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Pereira; Traore, Smith Rowe, Iwobi; Jimenez
Newcastle United
Eddie Howe’s team will be without the services of Lewis Miley, Callum Wilson, Sven Botman, and Jamaal Lascelles. Apart from the quartet, the home side are worried about the fitness of their star striker Alexander Isak, who was subbed off at half-time in their last outing due to an eye problem. But, reports suggest he has since picked up a toe injury.
Even if the Swede is back fit in time, Newcastle United might not risk him from the start against Fulham, given how important he is to their chances of finishing inside the top four.
The visitors will line up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Nick Pope in goal. Valentino Livramento and Lewis Hall will feature as the full-backs, with Fabian Schar pairing up with Dan Burn in the heart of the defence.
Sandro Tonali will return to the starting eleven, and he will pair up with Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton in the centre of the park. The trio will look to ensure they have the majority of the ball.
Anthony Gordon was asked to lead the line in the second half of the game against Wolves, and he could start as the number nine in this one. Harvey Barnes will take Gordon’s place on the left flank, while Jacob Murphy will continue on the right.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pope; Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall; Tonali, Guimaraes, Joelinton; Murphy, Gordon, Barnes
Key Stats
- Newcastle United are unbeaten in all four of their league games in the 2024/25 season (W3 D1).
- Last time when Fulham and Newcastle United met back in April, the Magpies won by the smallest of margins (1-0).
- The home team have been winless in their last eight outings against Eddie Howe’s team.
- Fulham have only won three out of their last 13 Premier League outings. Two of those wins came against newly promoted teams.
- Newcastle United have won each of their last five games against Fulham.
Player to Watch
Anthony Gordon
Gordon has only gone from strength to strength since joining Newcastle United at the start of 2023. Not only has he established himself as one of the mainstays, he has been a constant feature in England’s national team of late while attracting several high-profile clubs, including Liverpool.
While he has had a great start to the 2024/25 season, the 23-year-old only has one goal to show for it, and he will be eager to add to his tally on Saturday as he will most likely lead the line with Isak’s availability uncertain.
Prediction
Fulham 1-2 Newcastle United
While Fulham do have a strong squad that is capable enough to challenge Newcastle United, they are going to find it difficult to break their unbeaten run. The Cottagers have not been in the best of form and given the kind of football Eddie Howe’s team have been playing, they should come out on top here. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the visitors.