Match Preview
Newcastle United vrs Fulham
Premier League Match Day 14 2021 at St. James' Park
Saturday 19th December 2020 ~ KO: 20.00
Referee:
Graham Scott (Oxfordshire)
Live on Sky Sports
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Fulham travel up to St James' Park to face Newcastle United on Saturday evening having recorded successive draws at home to Liverpool and Brighton & Hove Albion.
However Newcastle United welcome Fulham on the back of a 5-2 defeat to Leeds United earlier this week.
Fulham have only claimed five points from their most recent half a dozen fixtures, but the vast progress made in defensive areas has given Scott Parker and his squad something to work with during a hectic period.
The Cottagers have now gone 265 minutes without conceding a goal during open play, with two of the three goals scored by Manchester City and Liverpool coming from the penalty spot.
A clean sheet against Brighton on Wednesday evening was well received, although they still lack a cutting edge with Aleksandar Mitrovic out of the starting lineup.
That said, with games against Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea and Manchester United to come by January 20, Parker may feel tempted to focus more attention to the defensive side of their game in a bid to remain outside of the relegation zone.
Despite sitting in the bottom half of the standings, Newcastle boss Steve Bruce will be satisfied with 17 points being collected from the club's first dozen matches in the Premier League this season.
Nevertheless, shipping five goals at Leeds on Wednesday evening has put a different spin on things, with the pressure increasing on the Magpies boss ahead of the Christmas period.
Newcastle still have a game in hand on many of the teams above them, but a fourth defeat in six matches would leave the club cut adrift from the top half of the standings.
While Bruce will be pleased with the improvements made in the final third, none of his squad has scored more than once in the last five fixtures.
That is a run which he will hope comes to an end at the weekend, particularly against opponents who are showing signs of being capable of a surge up the table.
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Newcastle have lost just one of the past five Premier League meetings, winning three times and drawing once.
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However, the Magpies have registered only one win in the most recent five encounters in all competitions, with Fulham completing the Championship double over them in 2016-17.
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The clubs played out a goalless draw when they last met at St James' Park in December 2018.
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Fulham have lost only one of four league games and have recorded back-to-back draws.
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They have been beaten in 22 of their past 27 Premier League away games, winning twice and drawing three times.
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The Cottagers have won just four of their last 25 top-flight matches played in December.
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Fulham could keep back-to-back Premier League clean sheets for the first time since April 2019.
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They have registered just two clean sheets in their past 43 top-flight away games, albeit one of those was at Newcastle in December 2018.
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Fulham are the only side yet to concede a goal from outside the penalty area this season.
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Newcastle are attempting to win a fourth home game in six matches.
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The Magpies are without a clean sheet at St James' Park in 10 attempts.
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They have won their final pre-Christmas league match in each of the past five seasons.
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Newcastle face a newly-promoted side for the third consecutive fixture.
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The Magpies have opened the scoring in their past three matches.
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Callum Wilson has either scored or assisted 10 goals in his 11 league appearances for Newcastle.