Fulham 3 Newcastle 1 – A game of two halves but Newcastle United failing in key moments

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·21 September 2024

Fulham 3 Newcastle 1 – A game of two halves but Newcastle United failing in key moments

Fulham 3 Newcastle 1 – Saturday 21 September 3pm

Newcastle United started the game well.

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On the front foot, Joe Willock getting in behind the Fulham defence and squaring it for Joelinton. His first effort saved but lashing home the rebound off the bar.

Offside for Willock though in that build up, he went too early.

Fulham then went straight up the other end and scored.

So much for the bright start, lasting less than four minutes.

Traore playing the ball across for Jimenez who had his back to goal, turned and gave Pope no chance with it right in the bottom corner.

A great goal from a Fulham perspective but Schar and Burn could and should have done better, Joelinton maybe as well should have dropped in to help.

From that point, Newcastle just couldn’t get going again in this first half.

Not a great surprise when then a flowing move ended with Smith-Rowe catching Nick Pope out by taking his shot very early BUT it lacked power and it somehow squirmed through the United keeper.

Anthony Gordon cut in from the right as the half neared its close but curled it high and wide.

One of those 45 minutes where so many of the players on the pitch made sense for Newcastle United but just couldn’t get into it, after that first Fulham goal.

What would Eddie Howe do at the break?

The answer was Hall for Kelly and Jacob Murphy replacing Joe Willock.

Within seconds, a flowing move saw United cut the home side open, Barnes with a wonderful cool low finish into the bottom corner. Newcastle’s players and fans then having to survive one of those agonising VAR checks for a possible offside in the build up just inside the Fulham half.

Thankfully, they got their lines right and Newcastle suddenly back in it!

The next ten minutes or so seeing Newcastle pushing the home side back but not able to take advantage.

With 20 minutes remaining Gordon unlucky to see a fine run end with Leno saving via his legs.

A minute later Murphy coming in from the left and his left foot effort just cleared the bar.

Then a shocking mistake by the home keeper straight after, playing the ball out to the edge of his box but Schar (what was he doing up there???) easily intercepted and with just the keeper to beat he somehow put it wide from only 12 yards out. Obviously Schar surprised to get the chance but he could have squared it to Isak for a tap in.

The closing stages seeing Newcastle getting up the pitch and putting some decent balls into the box but it never quite falling right, crosses slightly too high, just too far ahead of a teammate, sometimes choosing the pass and so on.

Into six minutes of added time and Bruno finding himself back near the corner flag in defence. As he ran across his own box he attempted a dangerous ball out but it was intercepted by Reiss Nelson on the edge of the box. Unlike Fanian Schar he made no mistake.

A very poor first half obviously but two moments in particular were I think key to the final outcome.

That second Fulham goal which Nick Pope would save 99 times out of 100, then that Schar moment, when he should have scored or passed to Isak for a tap in. That would have made it 2-2 with 20+ minutes left and my guess is it would have seen Newcastle probably go on to win against what would have been a devastated home side.

Instead Fulham survived and saw the game out. I can’t say they didn’t deserve to win but Newcastle could and should have got back into this.

Fulham better on many of the stats, which also included six bookings to Newcastle’s zero, as the home side produced a series of fouls to break up United’s attacks and time wasting for a couple of the yellow.

However, United with only themselves to blame for this first defeat of the season.

Fulham 3 Newcastle 1 – Saturday 21 September 3pm

Newcastle United:

Barnes 46

Fulham:

Jimenez 5, Smith-Rowe 22, Nelson 90+2

(Half-time stats in brackets)

Possession was Newcastle 61% (60%) Fulham 39% (40%)

Total shots were Newcastle 15 (4) Fulham 22 (13)

Shots on target were Newcastle 4 (1) Fulham 11 (7)

Corners were Newcastle 0 (0) Fulham 6 (3)

Touches in the box Newcastle 22 (10) Fulham 37 (20)