Fulham face a tricky trip to Newcastle United this afternoon as Marco Silva’s side seek to bounce back from the disappointment of losing a tight encounter to Manchester United last weekend. The desolation at being beaten by Lisandro Martinez’s late deflected long-ranger lingered for longer than usual as the Whites had the better of the play and the chances against a team that is far from fully firing under Reuben Almiron, but whilst the Cottagers are struggling to be clinical in front of goal dreams of European football will remain fabulously far-fetched.
Fulham haven’t won at St. James’ Park since Ryan Sessegnon’s superb cameo stunned the runaway Championship leaders in 2017. It seems a remarkably long time ago – even if the statistic is somewhat unreliable as the two teams fortuned diverged following Newcastle’s ascension to the top tier and the end of Mike Ashley’s ruinous reign in the north east. The teenage starlet’s own career stagnated somewhat at Tottenham following Fulham’s relegation in 2018, but this correspondent can’t be the only one wondering whether Harry Wilson’s horrible injury setback might allow Sessegnon a second chance as an option wide on the left as Silva considers how to cope with the Welsh international, such a valuable source of goals this season, ruled out for at least ten weeks.
The Whites certainly have other options – but Silva has openly entertained the idea of dipping in the transfer market to bring in a couple of new faces. The Portuguese head coach has handled Sessegnon carefully since his return to Craven Cottage this season, handing him starts at left back in the cup competitions, but the Roehampton-born academy graduate didn’t look out of place when he filled a midfield role in the closing stages at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day and he remains an assured finish. The likelihood is that the impressively versatile Alex Iwobi will be asked to reprise his left wing role with Adama Traore, a scorer at Leicester only a couple of weeks ago lest we forget, operating on the right flank.
Silva was at pains to remind the press this week that his side have been quietly impressive on the road of late. Fulham have lost only two of their last eight away fixtures and are far from a soft touch on their travels this days, having picked up points at Spurs and Liverpool as well as winning the SW6 derby at Stamford Bridge for the first time since 1979. There is a school of thought that the possession-based football is better suited to away days when the Whites can hit high-pressing sides on the break, but Newcastle – targeting a Champions League place under Eddie Howe – will certainly test Fulham’s defensive fortitude.
They are likely to still be without Callum Wilson, a regular thorn in Fulham’s side, as well as Harvey Barnes and Jamaal Lascelles but Howe still has plenty of weapons that should worry the Whites. It is no longer silly to suggest that the lean, mean Alexander Isak – who has scored thirteen goals since the start of December – is one of the best forwards in Europe, while Anthony Gordon remains a potent threat out wide. The criminally underrated Jacob Murphy is quietly having a very effective season, having laid on six goals for Isak already. Sandro Tonali, a scorer at Southampton last weekend as Newcastle got back on track after the surprise home defeat by Bournemouth, has added tenacity to the Magpies’ midfield to match the guile of Bruno Guimareas, whilst Lewis Hall must be in the thoughts of the new England manager Thomas Tuchel.
Countering Newcastle’s strengths has to be occupying a good deal of Silva’s usual methodical pre-match preparation. Sander Berge and Sasa Lukic will need to be more effective than they were against Manchester United, whilst Fulham will need more from their lone striker. Raul Jimenez, who was probably withdrawn too early last weekend, will want to banish the bad memories of his last visit to St. James’ Park by sparkling as he has done in strong spells this season. Newcastle will start this contest as strong favourites, but Fulham have sprung enough surprises already in this campaign to not fear any opponent.
MY FULHAM XI (4-2-3-1): Leno; Castagne, A. Robinson, Bassey, Diop; Berge, Lukic; Iwobi, R. Sessegnon, Smith Rowe; Jimenez. Subs: Benda, Cuenca, Andersen, Reed, King, Cairney, Traore, Pereira, Muniz.
