Bruno Guimaraes’ second-half goal boosted Newcastle’s European hopes and took away Fulham’s following an unlikely 1-0 affair at Craven Cottage on Saturday.
Newcastle managed just 29 percent possession and were fortunate to get to halftime with zeroes on the scoreboard, but whatever Eddie Howe said or tweaked in the locker room worked to the Magpies advantage,.
WATCH FULHAM vs NEWCASTLE FULL MATCH REPLAY
The win boosts eighth-place Newcastle to 47 points, one behind West Ham and Manchester United. The Magpies have played one fewer game than West Ham and one more than Man Utd.
Fulham stays on 39 points and sit 13th, eight points behind Newcastle.
The Injury Fest that’s been the 2023-24 Newcastle United season has shown few signs of subsiding for the stretch run, and the Magpies’ back four alone on Saturday would’ve given pause to even he most passionate member of the Toon Army.
Newcastle could not call upon Sven Botman, Kieran Trippier, Tino Livramento, Jamaal Lascelles, and Matt Targett, had to move left back Dan Burn to center back, and used reserves Emil Krafth and Lewis Hall out wide (Hall, for what it’s worth, was dinged up at midweek to boot).
The only player in his regular spot was Fabian Schar, and on another day he wouldn’t have been able to claim glory as the match-winning goal scorer because Fulham could’ve had two, three or four goals in the first half as they spent the first 30-plus minutes in the Magpies end.
Alas, Newcastle found its footing and stayed in frame for a return to some sort of European competition. And they’ll need that boost in order to keep and keep attracting players in the face of Financial Fair Play. Their remaining fixtures have some tough asks — Man Utd away, visits from Brighton and Spurs — but desperate Palace, Sheffield United, Burnley, and Brentford should present enough points for a realistic chance at seventh place.
Fulham vs Newcastle player ratings (fotmob.com)
Fulham vs Newcastle player ratings (fotmob.com)
Newcastle host Tottenham at 7:30am ET Saturday, while Fulham head to West Ham a day later for a 9am kickoff.
Kick off: 10am ET Saturday
TV Channel: Peacock Premium
Online: Premier League on Peacock
Goalscorers: Guimaraes (81′)
Good stuff from Harvey Barnes with a powerful move around the left side.
His cutback is blocked into traffic, and Bruno Guimaraes zips onto the loose ball and bounds a ball past Bernd Leno.
Newcastle were in front, but only for as long as a lengthy VAR review.
Anthony Gordon’s service beats the pack of defenders and Fabian Schar slots home from the back post.
But Dan Burn’s leaping challenge for the cross with Calvin Bassey included an elbow, and that’s going to be deemed to have interfered with Bassey’s plan to get the ball.
The Magpies are better in this half, especially without the ball. That’s good because Fulham’s still had about 2/3 possession.
The Cottagers still feel the better bet to score, and Adama Traore’s pace and power off the bench have added a dimension to the final 25-30 minutes.
The Magpies likely cannot believe they got to halftime 0-0. Fulham will feel similar.
The hosts have 71% possession, have taken 10 of the game’s 12 shot attempts, and put the only three shots on target of the match.
Oh, and six corners against an injured goalkeeper. Martin Dubravka has three saves, two of them rather difficult, amid eight recoveries.
Good luck.
Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka was hobbled twice but plays on versus Fulahm. The same cannot be said for Joe Willock.
The ex-Arsenal man limps off and is replaced by Elliot Anderson. Everyone else on the bench is either very young or not a central midfielder, so get ready for Anderson, Sean Longstaff, and Bruno Guimaraes to go the distance.
Timothy Castagne nearly has an assist for he ages.
The fullback slides to save an attack from going out of play to the left of Martin Dubravka’s cage, and it’s right to Joao Palhinha.
Unfortunately the star midfielder’s spinning shot is wide of the far post.
Fulham are all over the Magpies, who cannot get out of their end.
Willian has two cracks at goal, the first blocked by the chest of a visibly-stung Sean Longstaff and the second whipping wide of goal.
Four shot attempts and 71% possession for the Cottagers against a Magpies back line already missing Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles, Kieran Trippier, and Valentino Livramento?
Harbinger.
Leno, Castagne, Tosin, Bassey, Robinson, Palhinha, Cairney, Iwobi, Andreas, Willian, Muniz
Dubravka, Krafth, Schar, Burn, Hall, Guimaraes, Longstaff, Willock, Murphy, Gordon, Isak
OUT/QUESTIONABLE: None
OUT: Sandro Tonali (suspension), Sven Botman (knee), Jamaal Lascelles (knee), Callum Wilson (chest), Joelinton (thigh), Nick Pope (shoulder), Lewis Miley (lower back), Tino Livramento (ankle), Miguel Almiron (knee), Kieran Trippier (calf) | QUESTIONABLE: Matt Targett (achilles)
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