The Fulham feelgood factor was well and truly punctured last week by two devastating setbacks in the space of four days. Marco Silva’s side were twice punished for failing to take copious clear-cut chances against West Ham United – when Danny Ings demonstrated how to be clinical by burying a 95th minute equaliser – and then in a marathon penalty shoot-out at Preston North End that saw the Whites eliminated from a competition at the third round stage by Championship strugglers. They will need to race their game this afternoon against a Newcastle United side who could go top of the Premier League should they continue their outstanding recent record at Craven Cottage.

The Magpies have won all of their last five fixtures at Fulham and head to London full of confidence as they target a third successive Premier League win for the first time since last September. Eddie Howe’s side might have reached the imperious heights of two seasons ago in the quality of their football and performances but they have ground results impressively this term and could be unbeaten after five top-flight fixtures for the first time since 2011. A victory over the Whites could see Howe emulate the express start that Kevin Keegan’s men made to the 1995/96 campaign by sitting top of the tree at the end of September.

Newcastle have notched up ten points from the first four matches and stitched together workmanlike wins at home to Tottenham Hotspur and away at Wolverhampton Wanders, with goals inside the first fifteen minutes from Swiss centre Fabian Schar and winger Harvey Barnes. Howe has quietly overseen an efficient start to the new season after what was considered a disappointing campaign last year, and despite a surfeit of injuries to key performances, the highly-regarded former Bournemouth boss has a strong squad to pick from.

The biggest concern surrounding the visitors’ teamsheet this afternoon will be the fitness of birthday boy Aleksandar Isak. The Swedish striker, who has scored 36 times in 71 appearances since making a £52.5m move from Real Sociedad two years ago, was substituted at half-time at Wolves having suffered an eye injury and has subsequently injured his foot. Howe revealed that the Geordies will make a late decision on the forward’s participation following a fitness test – with Will Osula waiting in the wings. Newcastle could also play England international Anthony Gordon through the middle in Isak’s absence, allowing Barnes to operate along the left flank.

United will definitely be without a regular Fulham scourge Callum Wilson, who is still sidelined by a back problem, whilst centre backs Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles remain unavailable due to knee injuries. That will mean a starting return at Craven Cottage for Dan Burn, who made 69 appearances for the Whites in five years before being released by Slavisa Jokanovic in the summer of 2016 and has since worked his way back to the Premier League in outstanding fashion. Promising midfielder Lewis Milley is also in the treatment room with an ankle injury.

Silva has demanded that his side will need to react to the trauma of Tuesday’s underwhelming display at Preston by raising their level against one of the country’s most in-form sides, who are masters of game management. The best illustration of this game last April when Howe’s men used every trick in the book to quell Fulham’s momentum after a strong start and eventually snatched all three points through Bruno Guimaraes’ late winner. The Whites have looked lacklustre in the final third and short on both penetration and creativity in disappointing draws against Ipswich and the Hammers before their League Cup elimination – and it will be interesting to see how the Portuguese head coach attempts to resolve this issue.

Sander Berge’s display at Deepdale didn’t suggest he was ready to step into the heat of a ferocious midfield battle, whilst the Fulham head coach remains loyal to Andreas Pereira despite the Brazilian’s below-par start to the new season in a deeper midfield role. Sasa Lukic has been the most consistent of the club’s midfielders since the departure of Joao Palhinha, but the engine room definitely looks unbalanced with Emile Smith Rowe still seeking full match sharpness after his arrival from Arsenal. The biggest problem remains Fulham’s failure to be ruthless in front of goal. Raul Jimenez scored on a surprise start against West Ham and should lead the line again after Rodrigo Muniz’s powerpuff performance at Preston highlighted the paucity of Silva’s striking options with Carlos Vinicius nursing a calf problem.

MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Tete, A. Robinson, Andersen, Bassey; Lukic, Berge; Traore, Iwobi, Smith Rowe; Jimenez. Subs: Benda, Castagne, Sessegnon, Reed, Cairney, Pereira, Wilson, Nelson, Muniz.