I didn’t feel like writing these ratings this morning as a north-east based Fulham follower, but a promise is a promise and all that.

Bernd Leno: Our usually dependable German goalkeeper has come in for heavy criticism online in the hours after this defeat. He might feel he should have done better than parry Will Osula’s last-minute shot into the path of Bruno for Newcastle’s gut-wrenching winner, but pummelling Leno – one of the reasons why the Whites have been so successful in avoiding relegation dogfights over the past three years – for failing to bail out Calvin Bassey for the opening goal seems exceptionally harsh to me. He got fingertips to Jacob Murphy’s finish but couldn’t keep it out – and he did then make an excellent save from a similar situation later in the first half. There were a couple of other excellent saves from Bruno and Sandro Tonali, too. 6

Kenny Tete: It was great to see the Dutch defender back on the right flank having been on the bench against Arsenal. Tete endured a difficult start against Anthony Gordon, especially as he was booked for bringing down the England international early on, but improved so markedly that Howe took the former Everton winger off. His pace is an asset at both ends of the field – and Fulham will be far stronger in what looks like a crucial run of fixtures if he can stay fit. 7

Ryan Sessegnon: Another excellent effort from Ryan, who never really got the opportunity to roam forward to repeat those 2017 heroics at the Gallowgate End, but delivered a disciplined display deputising for the injured Antonee Robinson. He worked out to offer an outlet in front of Alex Iwobi, especially in the first half, and produced several important bits of defending in his own box, especially the brilliant block to deny Anthony Elanga. You could see the disappointment etched on his face as he lingered applauding the away fans at the end. 7

Issa Diop: I felt the French defender did very well against Nick Woltemade, effectively nullifying the tall German striker in a disciplined display that brought his physicality to the fore. The St. James’ Park crowd weren’t happy that Diop escaped punishment for grappling with Woltemade, but from our vantage point high up in the Leazes End, it was clear to see that the tall striker has mastered the art of backing in and holding the defender’s shirt. Diop was decisive and composed, in stark contrast to his fellow centre half. 7

Calvin Bassey: Let’s preface this by saying that the Nigerian has been outstanding since he came to the club, barring that tricky start that saw him play out of the right side of central defence alongside Tim Ream. I was slightly surprised to see him restored to the starting line-up after Jorge Cuenca’s brilliant display against Arsenal last week – and Marco Silva might well be regretting it over his morning corn flakes. There’s no legislating for his baffling decision to try and trick his way past Jacob Murphy and there was an over-elaborateness about the way he dwelt on the ball for the second goal, too. I hope it was just a bad day at the office for someone who has been brilliant over the last eighteen months, but Bassey should be benched for a while as a result. 4

Sasa Lukic: So good to see the Serbian back at the heart of the Fulham midfield – and this was a performance that encapsulated why he has become one of the first names on Silva’s team sheet. Sasa covered every blade of grass and was one of the main reasons, alongside the excellent Sander Berge, why the hosts lacked their usual fluency in the engine room. He was a constant disruptor, snapping into tackles and making those unsexy shuttle runs to shut down space. Crucially, when the Whites needed a goal his bravery came the floor – spilling blood for the cause as he headed home the equaliser. Silva’s decision to substitute him will be another one the manager might be agonising over as Fulham ceded the centre ground and the initiative with his departure. 9

Sander Berge: Hands down the Norwegian’s most assured performance of the season. Berge did two jobs brilliantly – being the ballast between the back four and the rest of Fulham’s side – and driving forward in possession to offer support to what might have been an isolated attacking unit. He was always available to take the ball off the centre halves, which is why Bassey’s mistakes were so far infuriating, but might also have scored on another day with a powerful drive from distance that Nick Pope did well to save. This was more like the Berge we’ve seen help propel Norway towards the World Cup finals and gives me confidence that he can reprise some of his outstanding displays of last term. 7

Adama Traore: The enigma that is Adama strikes again. At times, he made Dan Burn look like a lumbering left back with his turn of pace and some dangerous deliveries , but he also ran the ball out of play from a great crossing position and shot wide in the first half when a rebound fell invitingly inside the box. He’s always going to be unpredictable and, as a gentleman astutely observed in the second half near me, ‘he’ll never be Harry Wilson’. I thought he was effective in the final third after the break and gave us an an attacking outlet high up the pitch that we badly missed when he was substituted. 6

Alex Iwobi: A workmanlike performance to mark the Nigerian midfielder’s 300th Premier League appearance. Marco Silva was rather dismissive of the calls from contributors to this site for Iwobi to operate in a more central role – and his efforts against Arsenal and yesterday probably showed why. Other websites have castigated his first half showing and, while it is true that he didn’t offer an awful lot in the opposition box, his defensive work in nullifying Gordon and Bruno was vital in ensuring Fulham weren’t swept away after Bassey’s brain fade. He offered more going forward in the second period as the Whites improved – seeming much more suited to playing in the number ten role than Emile Smith Rowe – and our influence waned when he was switched out wide in the closing stages. 6

Emile Smith Rowe: It might be the point of no return for Emile having been substituted at half time. I didn’t think he was terrible – but the spark just seems to be missing from his game. He’s clearly lacking in confidence and suffering from being out of the side. As Dan wrote in the match report, there was little conviction about the shot that was easily saved by Nick Pope after Malick Thiaw picked him out with a pass 25 yards from goal. He failed to lead the press or pop up in the pockets of space that opened up for others, and will have to work hard to get back in Silva’s best eleven. 5

Raul Jimenez: I love watching Jimenez play. There’s no fear in his game – which is remarkable given what the Mexican has been through – and he made several chances for himself through intelligent movement and anticipation. The one that was deflected wide early on was a classic of the genre, whilst the improvised overhead kick in the second half showed that Jimenez has lost one of his agility. Leading the line at St. James’ Park was a thankless task full of chasing lost causes and the 35 year-old fully deserved the goal that might have come his way without Pope and the crossbar intervening, although this was some justice in the fact that Lukic followed up to equalise. He definitely didn’t deserve to be on the losing side. 8

Substitutes:

Kevin: A curiously eccentric display our record signing, who flitted between being far too hot for Kieran Trippier to handle and a touch timid when you wanted him to go and grasp the game by the scruff of the next. Some of that is down to the fact that the Brazilian is clearly still getting to grips with the physicality and pace of the Premier League, but he’s definitely got the skills to be a serious player. He enlivened Fulham’s attack immediately with a couple of dangerous crosses and breezed past Trippier – a La Liga winner, don’t forget – brilliantly for the equaliser. The question is how Silva slots him, King and Sessegnon into our best eleven, for me. 7

Josh King: Struggled to get up to the pace of the contest after being sent on for the final fifteen minutes. It felt a little frenetic for him as we fought for second balls and struggled to keep possession in the final third. On reflection, it would have been more beneficial to have King’s energy and intelligence available from the outset – but you can see why Silva wants to avoid burning out the talented teenager. He’ll be back for Saturday I’m sure. 6

Tom Cairney: Harsh to make down the skipper in such a brief outing as he may well have been playing to the head coach’s instructions but he felt passive when he needed him to keep possession and take the side up the field. It was a little too sideways and risk averse – and contrasted starkly with Lukic’s contribution. Like the King switch, this like a mistake from Silva in the final reckoning. 5

Timothy Castagne: The Belgian only had four minutes after the shock of Bruno’s last-minute strike and did absolutely nothing wrong. 6

Jonah Kusi-Asare: A first sighting of our Swedish striker and he looked useful enough in the toughest of circumstances. He used his height effectively to flick on a couple of hopeful punts and took up threatening positions in the box, but his inexperience showed in the needless foul that saw him push a defender at the near post from Sessegnon’s long throw. Hopefully, he’ll get another opportunity at Adams Park on Tuesday. 6