Match Preview
Fulham versus Newcastle United
Premiership Match Day 05 24/25 at Craven Cottage
Saturday 21st September 2024 KO: 15:00
Referee:
Peter Bankes (Lancashire)
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Fulham face an unbeaten Newcastle United Craven Cottage on Saturday afternoon.
The two teams last locked horns in April when the Magpies secured a narrow 1-0 away victory thanks to a late strike from Bruno Guimaraes.
Fulham have been left scratching their heads after a chastening three-day period in which they dropped two points from a winning position in the Premier League and suffered penalty-shootout heartache against lower-league opposition in the EFL Cup.
The Cottagers were seemingly on course to secure their second successive home league victory of the season last weekend, as they entered stoppage time one goal ahead against West Ham United, but Raul Jimenez's opener was cancelled out in the 95th minute by Hammers striker Danny Ings, forcing both sides to settle for a 1-1 draw.
Marco Silva's men then came out on the losing side of the longest penalty shootout in EFL Cup history, losing 16-15 to Championship outfit Preston North End on Tuesday night after playing out a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes at Deepdale.
Fulham's focus now shifts back to the Premier League where they currently sit 12th in the table; they have only won three of their last 13 top-flight fixtures, including results from last season, with two of those victories coming against newly-promoted teams.
Returning to winning ways is not a given for the Cottagers on Saturday, as they have failed to come out on top in any of their last eight Premier League meetings with Newcastle, losing each of their last five in a row.
Newcastle performances have been far from convincing so far this season, but Eddie Howe will have few complains as his side sit third in the Premier League with 10 points accumulated across their first four matches.
The Magpies beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 on home soil prior to the international break and followed that up a fortnight later with a victory by the same scoreline away against Wolverhampton Wanderers, courtesy of two stunning goals in the final 15 minutes from Fabian Schar and Harvey Barnes.
Three wins and one draw posted from four matches means that Newcastle, who sit just two points behind leaders Manchester City, have made their best start to a Premier League season since 1995-96 when they won each of their opening four games under Kevin Keegan.
Not since 2011-12 under Alan Pardew have Newcastle gone unbeaten in their first five Premier League fixtures, and Howe's current crop can be confident of success on Saturday as the Magpies have won each of their last five visits to Craven Cottage in all competitions.
Four of those have come in the Premier League by an impressive aggregate score of 11-1, including the aforementioned 1-0 away victory last season, having previously lost six in a row at Craven Cottage.
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Fulham are without a win in their past eight Premier League meetings with Newcastle United (D2, L6), losing each of the last five.
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The Magpies have won four successive league games at Craven Cottage, having lost each of their previous six.
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Fulham are yet to draw a Premier League home match with Newcastle, with the Cottagers winning nine and losing seven.
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Fulham can equal their longest Premier League unbeaten run of four games.
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However, they have won only one of their past six league home matches (D2, L3), having taken 13 points from their previous six.
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The Cottagers' shot conversion rate of 6.9% is the second lowest in the Premier League this season, with only Southampton having a worse record.
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Raul Jimenez has scored eight goals in his last 11 league starts.
Andreas Pereira’s 41 crosses so far this season is the most in the division, at least six more than any other player.
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Newcastle could remain unbeaten in their first five Premier League games for the first time since 2011-12 and just the third time overall.
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The Magpies could win three consecutive league matches for the first time since September last year.
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Their only clean sheet in 18 league away fixtures was a 1-0 win at Fulham in April.
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Alexander Isak turns 25 on the day of the game and could become the first Newcastle player to score on his birthday since Fabricio Coloccini against Tottenham in January 2011.
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Harvey Barnes is looking to score in three successive Premier League matches for the second time, having done so for Leicester at the start of 2020.
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Eddie Howe has won eight of his nine matches against Fulham in all competitions, including all five away games by an aggregate of 15-2.
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Source Oliver Thomas at SportsMole/BBC Sports