Competition: Premier League (Matchweek 9) Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025 Kick-off: 15:00 BST Venue: St. James' Park, Newcastle
Form and Context
This encounter at St. James' Park is a crucial mid-table clash, with just one point separating the two sides heading into the weekend (Newcastle on 9 points, Fulham on 8). Both teams are eager to establish momentum and climb away from the bottom half of the table.
Newcastle United have endured an inconsistent start in the Premier League (2W, 3D, 3L), struggling to replicate the consistency of their previous season. However, they are riding a high after a convincing 3-0 victory in the Champions League group stage earlier in the week, demonstrating their potential when firing on all cylinders. Their challenge is translating that European confidence back to the domestic campaign, where they recently lost 2-1 away to Brighton.
Fulham come into the match in worrying form, having lost their last three Premier League games, including recent defeats to Arsenal and Bournemouth. Marco Silva's side is currently struggling on the road, where they have yet to register a win this season (D1, L3), conceding nine goals in those four away trips. Defensive solidity is a major concern, as they have kept only one clean sheet in their last 17 top-flight matches.
Tactical Matchup: Home Fortress vs Away Woes
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe will look to leverage the team's strong performance in the midweek fixture. Key to their approach will be high energy, quick transitions, and utilizing the pace of wide players, aiming to exploit the vulnerabilities in Fulham's backline. Historically, Newcastle have been strong at St. James' Park, where they have scored the majority of their league goals this season.
For Fulham, the focus must be on tightening up defensively. Marco Silva's side generally aims to control possession but has been susceptible to counter-attacks, particularly away from home. Their ability to contain Newcastle's attack will likely determine the outcome. Key forward Raúl Jiménez, who has a history of scoring against the Magpies, will be vital if Fulham are to find a way to break through a Newcastle side that boasts one of the better clean sheet records in the league this term.
Head-to-Head History
Recent history suggests this fixture is anything but straightforward for Newcastle. Fulham completed a surprising league double over the Magpies last season, with results including a 2-1 victory at St. James' Park in February 2025 and a 3-1 win at Craven Cottage in September 2024. These results marked a significant shift in the fixture's pattern, as Newcastle had previously been dominant. Many of the recent meetings between these two sides have also been high-scoring affairs, indicating an open contest is likely.
Team News and Key Players
Newcastle Absentees: Newcastle continues to contend with injury issues, with Lewis Hall, Tino Livramento, and Yoane Wissa all listed as out or doubtful. Midfielder Jacob Murphy could be a key figure, given his recent run of form and history of assists and goals against Fulham.
Fulham Absentees: Fulham has several injury doubts, including key players such as Rodrigo Muniz, Raúl Jiménez, Antonee Robinson, and Joachim Andersen, which could severely impact their tactical options and bench strength.
Prediction
Given Newcastle’s return to winning ways in the Champions League and Fulham's ongoing domestic struggles, particularly their poor away form and three-match losing streak, the momentum strongly favors the home side. While Fulham demonstrated last season that they can upset Newcastle, the current form book points toward a Magpies victory.
Predicted Score: Newcastle United 2 - 1 Fulham
