Football Review | Newcastle United 2 - 1 Fulham

A disappointing result despite an improved performance

A late strike from Bruno Guimarães denied Fulham a fully merited point.

Author | Josh T

Stadium | St James’ Park

Jacob Murphy had put Newcastle ahead after a defensive lapse, but Fulham responded impressively after the interval. Saša Lukić levelled the contest with his first goal of the campaign, rewarding the visitors’ renewed energy.

Both sides pressed for a decisive moment in the closing stages. Newcastle carved out the clearer openings and finally capitalised when Guimarães reacted quickest after Bernd Leno had initially kept out William Osula.

How a spirited display ended in another loss 

Marco Silva was forced into six changes, with Kenny Tete, Issa Diop, Calvin Bassey, Lukić, Adama Traoré and Emile Smith Rowe all starting in place of Timothy Castagne, Joachim Andersen, Jorge Cuenca, Tom Cairney, Harry Wilson and Josh King.

READ MORE | Fulham 0 -1 Arsenal

Fulham will have arrived on Tyneside with memories of last season’s comeback still vivid, but this time there was to be no late twist in their favour. Instead, they were the ones punished by a stoppage-time goal, their hopes of another spirited revival dashed in the closing moments.

Still, Marco Silva can reflect with some satisfaction on the way his side responded after falling behind in the first half. Depleted by injuries to several key figures, including Antonee Robinson, Joachim Andersen, summer recruit Samuel Chukwueze, Harry Wilson and Rodrigo Muniz, Fulham might easily have folded once Jacob Murphy seized upon Calvin Bassey’s error.

Rather than retreat into themselves, they found purpose and pushed forward with far more intent than in their limp showing against Arsenal, where they failed to muster a single effort on target. The equaliser was a deserved reward for that renewed ambition, even if the final act ultimately belonged to Newcastle.

A clearer marker of their progress will come next weekend when Wolves visit Craven Cottage. It already feels like a match of some weight, despite the season still being in its opening chapters.