Newcastle away will be tough but is a great opportunity to get three points. We need to start picking up three points or relegation moves one step closer…
A point against Brighton isn’t a bad result especially bearing in mind they dominated the majority of the game. However that Loftus-Cheek could have really done us a favour. This week we come up against a Newcastle United side that got taken apart by Leeds United. If Newcastle play against us as they did against Leeds we should win. A hangover from the Liverpool game is still a concern but hopefully, our team has fully recovered.
In terms of our team, I think we should make one change from the Brighton game. That is Mitro replacing Cavaleiro who I thought was very poor against Brighton. This means Areola staying in goal, a back three of Aina, Andersen and Adarabioyo, Decordova-Reid and Robinson either wing, A midfield of Loftus-Cheek, Anguissa, Lemina and Lookman with Mitro leading the line.
I think we will win 2-0 with a Mitro brace.
HEAD TO HEAD
LEAGUE RECORD (OVERALL)
- GAMES PLAYED – 66
- FULHAM WINS – 29
- DRAWS – 14
- NEWCASTLE WINS – 23
- GOALS SCORED – 104
- GOALS CONCEDED – 101
LEAGUE RECORD (AWAY)
- GAMES PLAYED – 33
- FULHAM WINS – 9
- DRAWS – 9
- NEWCASTLE WINS – 15
- GOALS SCORED – 40
- GOALS CONCEDED – 53
BIGGEST WINS
- NEWCASTLE 6-0 FULHAM (1907/08)
- NEWCASTLE 7-2 FULHAM (1960/61) FA CUP
- NEWCASTLE 5-0 FULHAM (1960/61)
LAST 5 GAMES
- FULHAM 0-4 NEWCASTLE
- NEWCASTLE 0-0 FULHAM
- NEWCASTLE 1-3 FULHAM
- FULHAM 1-0 NEWCASTLE
- FULHAM 1-0 NEWCASTLE
LEAGUE FORM
- NEWCASTLE -LLWWL
- FULHAM – LWLDD
COLLINS JOHN’S VIEW
Taking into account the sensational performance against Liverpool and Brighton’s 3-0 loss away to Leicester City, this was a game we really needed to win. As a Fulham fan and an ex player I want the club to survive this season but this is going to be a real cat race until the last ball is kicked and Fulham are one of the 5 clubs who are very much in this fight. It’s going to be close!
Away from home, I think we need to keep the same system which worked so well at Leicester with the wing backs but we have to find room for Mitro from the start. We looked a bit tired against Brighton towards the end and the big man will be hungry to show what he can do and get back into the swing of things, especially against his former club. He gives you goals which was our downfall against Brighton. We had 2 or 3 good chances but we didn’t take them. None of the other players in attack have the instinct in front of goal and we can’t afford to be wasting chances. It’s harsh on the likes of Cavaleiro, Loftus-Cheek and Lookman who have been brilliant but goals win games, it’s as simple as that for me.
After collapsing at the end of the Leeds match, Newcastle will be under pressure to take the game to Fulham and I think we can get joy on the counter attack. It’s a game we can win, a game we probably need to win and I think we will. Merry Christmas everyone!
PREDICTION: NEWCASTLE 1-2 FULHAM
LAST TIME OUT
FULHAM 0-4 NEWCASTLE UNITED (2018/19)
The last time we played Newcastle we lost 4-0 at Craven Cottage on the last day of our previous Premier League campaign. Jonjo Shelvey, Ayoze Perez, Fabian Schar and Salomon Rondon got the goals in an embarrassing display by the river.
PLAYERS IN COMMON
Phillipe Albert, Peter Beardsley, Dave Beasant, Roy Bentley, Paul Bracewell, Viv Busby, Lee Clark, Andy Cole, Damien Duff, Alain Goma, Danny Guthrie, Aaron Hughes, Shefki Kuqi, Malcolm MacDonald, Aleksandar Mitrović, Alan Neilson, Scott Parker, Wayne Routledge, Louis Saha.
BATTLE TO WATCH
CALLUM WILSON VS JOACHIM ANDERSEN
Callum Wilson is a 28-year-old striker who joined Newcastle from Bournemouth this summer. Wilson’s move to Tyneside has helped him recapture his best form and has been Newcastle’s most consistent player of late. He is a physical player with an eye for goal. His battle with current captain Andersen should be interesting but I fully expect Joachim to win this battle.
PREDICTED LINE-UP
