Newcastle Vs Fulham

Newcastle United will look to bolster their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League when they host Fulham at St James' Park for a Premier League showdown on Saturday afternoon. The Magpies are eager to avenge their defeat to the Cottagers in the reverse fixture last September, where they lost 3-1 away.

Since mid-December, Newcastle have been in excellent form, enjoying 10 wins in their last 11 matches across all competitions. The only blemish during this run was a surprising 4-1 home loss to high-flying Bournemouth. Despite this setback, the Magpies bounced back in impressive fashion, securing a 3-1 victory over bottom-of-the-table Southampton last weekend. Alexander Isak, the team’s standout player, was the hero, scoring a brace that not only helped secure the win but also made him the first Newcastle player to score in five consecutive Premier League away matches. His performance took his tally for the season to 17 goals, further establishing his importance to the team.

Eddie Howe, the manager of Newcastle, was particularly pleased with the response of his players after they went a goal down at St Mary's. Newcastle have shown a remarkable ability to recover from losing positions this season, with only Manchester City (17 points) having earned more Premier League points from losing positions than Newcastle (15). The Magpies have now secured four wins after conceding first this season, equaling their highest tally in a single campaign since 2002-03. 

Currently sitting in fifth place in the Premier League table, Newcastle find themselves level on points with fourth-placed Manchester City. However, a challenging run of fixtures lies ahead, starting with Saturday's clash against Fulham. After that, they will face Arsenal in the second leg of their EFL Cup semi-final, a tie in which they hold a 2-0 advantage. Following that, they will have to contend with tough Premier League matches against Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, and Liverpool. Despite these challenges, Newcastle’s recent form gives reason for optimism. They have accumulated 21 points in their last eight Premier League matches, the most of any team during this stretch. Furthermore, the Magpies remain unbeaten in their last eight top-flight home meetings with Fulham, having won five and drawn three, while also keeping six clean sheets in the process.

In contrast, Fulham's aspirations of securing European football for next season have been hindered by a run of inconsistent form in the Premier League. They have managed just three wins in their last 12 matches, with six draws and three losses during that period. The Cottagers did manage to secure their first three points of 2025 in their most recent outing, defeating Leicester City 2-0 at the King Power Stadium. This victory marked their fourth away win of the season. However, Fulham's hopes were dashed last weekend when they were beaten 1-0 at home by a struggling Manchester United side. The only shot on target Fulham faced in the match came in the 78th minute, with United's late goal securing all three points. After the match, Marco Silva, Fulham's head coach, described the defeat as "cruel" and lamented how fortunate Manchester United had been to secure the win with such a minimal effort.

With the defeat to Manchester United, Fulham are now in 10th place in the Premier League table. They are seven points behind the top seven, which is the last place that would guarantee European football, and eight points behind the top four, which would ensure Champions League qualification. With 15 matches still remaining, there is still a chance for Fulham to close this gap, but they will need to improve their form if they are to achieve their goal. 

One of Fulham's weaknesses this season has been their poor record at home, having failed to win any of their last five home league games. However, their away form has been much stronger, as they have lost just one of their last seven away matches, winning three and drawing three. They have accumulated a total of 16 points from their travels, just two fewer than they managed in the entire previous season, which suggests that they have been more effective away from home than at Craven Cottage.

Despite their mid-table position, Fulham will arrive at St James' Park with confidence after securing a 3-1 victory over Newcastle earlier in the season. This win was part of Fulham's ongoing efforts to achieve a rare Premier League double over the Magpies. The Cottagers have managed to achieve this feat twice before, in the 2006-07 and 2008-09 seasons, and they will be hoping to repeat that success this weekend.

In what promises to be a thrilling encounter, both teams have plenty to play for. Newcastle, despite their recent strong form, are still striving to secure a place in the top four and secure Champions League football for next season. Fulham, on the other hand, will be determined to bounce back from their recent setback and continue their pursuit of European qualification. With the stakes high and both teams in need of points, Saturday’s match at St James’ Park is sure to be an exciting and hard-fought contest.