Match Report
Fulham (1) 2-0 (0) Newcastle United
Premiership Match Day 38 25/26 at Craven Cottage
Sunday 24th May 2026 KO: 16.00
Referee:
Robert Jones (Wirral)
Live on Sky Sports+
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Goals in either half from Issa Diop and Tom Cairney earned Fulham a 2-0 victory over Newcastle United at a sun-kissed Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon.
A bright start from the Whites was rewarded when Diop headed in his first goal of the season, with his anticipation paying dividends after Kevin’s excellent free-kick had come back off the woodwork.
Kevin had to withdraw from the action in the second half through injury, but it was his replacement who made the points safe, with Cairney bending home the type of finish we’ve enjoyed regularly over the past 11 years.
The only negative was that Chelsea’s inability to take anything off Sunderland denied us a top-half finish, with the boys ending the campaign in 11th, goal difference keeping us below our SW6 neighbours.
Marco Silva made one change to his team for the season finale – with no Saša Lukic, Kevin came in on the left wing, with Alex Iwobi dropping deeper to fill the Lukic void in the middle.
That didn’t limit Iwobi’s attacking threat, though, as he had the game’s first shot in anger on 10 minutes, one which was heading on target before deflecting behind off Sven Botman.
Another deflection denied Antonee Robinson a potential second goal in as many games, with his drilled effort from 25 yards nicking off Jacob Ramsey.
The positive start was rewarded on 20 minutes. Kevin’s free-kick from range deserved a goal in itself but came back of the underside of the crossbar, with Diop the most alert man in the box to follow up and nod into an empty net.
It had been a really bright start for the Whites, one that Emile Smith Rowe looked to improve further still after Sander Berge had won possession high up the pitch, but his shot was too close to Nick Pope.
The first threat from the visitors followed as a slick team move culminated in Joe Willock flashing a ball across the face, but Timothy Castagne was alert to intercept at the last and deny Lewis Hall a far post tap-in.
Back up the other end, Oscar Bobb showed some fabulous skill to fashion a crossing opportunity, clipping one into Rodrigo Muniz who saw his diving header held by Pope.
Bernd Leno had been a spectator throughout the opening half hour, but he was called into action twice in quick succession, making a routine stop from Bruno Guimaraes, before a much more testing save was required to deny Willock on the angle.
Goalmouth action was at a premium at the start of the second half, with the clock beyond the hour mark by the time Cairney – on for the injured Kevin – had a sight of goal, drilling just wide from the edge of the D.
Iwobi had moved onto the left flank since Kevin’s departure, and he stung the palms of Pope with 20 minutes left to play when he let fly from the edge of the box after cutting inside.
Cairney then thought he’d doubled the lead when he caught his 18-yard shot sweet as a nut after being expertly picked out by Robinson, but it fizzed inches wide of the post with Pope well beaten.
The Fulham skipper had been looking dangerous every time he got the ball since coming on, and with 10 minutes to go he pulled an effort right out of the top drawer. With Newcastle sitting off – a mistake they’ve made against this man before – he took the invitation and pearled a stunning curler into the top left-hand corner. Vintage TC.
The Cottage thoroughly enjoyed that, and they almost had a third to celebrate moments later through two substitutes, but Pope saved well from Josh King, before Harry Wilson lashed the rebound marginally wide.
Iwobi had a chance to put some icing on the cake when he danced infield midway through stoppage time, but he couldn’t quite get his angles right and bent off target, meaning we had to settle for just the two goals on our final outing of 2025/26.
Fulham: Leno, Castagne, Diop (Cuenca 86), Bassey, Robinson, Iwobi, Berge, Bobb (Wilson 72), Smith Rowe (King 72), Kevin (Cairney 60), R Muniz (Jimenez 72)
Unused substitutes: Tete, Reed, Lecomte, Sessegnon
Goals:
Issa Diop 20(Lift-off at Craven Cottage on the final day!
Kevin stands over a free-kick 25 yards out and a peach of a strike is inches from putting Fulham ahead but bounces back off the bar with Pope beaten.
Diop is quickest to react and with no-one around him, heads into an empty net to give the hosts the lead.)
Tom Cairney 80(Now that is the perfect sign-off for these Fulham fans, and what a finish to boot from a hero around these parts.
The second Fulham corner is worked to Wilson and then Cairney, who is a long way out but has time to pick his spot and bends a stunning strike into the top corner beyond a despairing Pope.)
Yellow Card: Robinson (f,89), Jorge Cuenca (f,90+8),
Newcastle United: Pope, Thiaw, Botman, Burn (Murphy 84), J Murphy (Barnes 45), Willock, Guimaraes (Elanga 66), Ramsey, Hall, Osula (Wissa 66), Woltemade (Neave 77)
Unused substitutes: Trippier, Gordon, Ruddy, Ramsdale
Yellow Card: Guimarães (hb,64), Wissa (f,70)
Referee:
Robert Jones (Wirral)
Attendance: 27,442