Two bottom-half Premier League teams battle it out at Craven Cottage on Saturday as Fulham play host to Newcastle United.

The Cottagers picked up all three points in their most recent meeting with the Magpies, securing a 2-0 home win in their final game of last season in May.

Match preview

Fulham endured a winless six-game start in the Premier League this season, but a timely upturn in form for head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has seen his team put together a three-game unbeaten run, while they have lost just one of their last six matches in the top tier (W2 D3).

After winning back-to-back games by a 1-0 scoreline against Hull City and Coventry City, Fulham literally had a helping hand in rescuing a point from a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa last weekend, as goalkeeper Zion Suzuki fumbled the ball into his own net midway through the second half.

Arbeloa is encouraged to see his players believing in the way he wants his team to play and hopes that the Cottagers – sitting 15th in the table and only two points above the relegation zone – will begin “a long journey” in the right direction as they bid to steer themselves away from danger.

Although Fulham have scored the joint third-fewest goals in the Premier League this season (nine), they have made notable improvements in defence, conceding just three goals across their last six league games, while no other club has conceded fewer goals than the Cottagers (11) among sides currently sitting in the bottom eight this term.

Fulham will welcome Saturday’s clash with Newcastle, as they have won three of their last four top-flight meetings with the Magpies (L1), having previously gone eight matches without a victory (D2 L6).

Newcastle’s promising start to life under Matthias Jaissle now feels like a distant memory for Magpies supporters who made their feelings clear following a disappointing 1-0 home defeat to Everton on Monday.

A chorus of boos echoed round St James’ Park after Newcastle suffered their fourth defeat in five matches and their second against the Toffees in the space of just five days, having also exited the EFL Cup fourth round courtesy of a 3-1 away loss.

Despite the fans’ frustrations growing and reports of players believing they are paying the price for recruitment gambles in the summer, Jaissle has insisted that he is “not worried” by his youthful team’s recent slump and has felt commitment from the club's hierarchy to his project "even more" over the past week.

Sitting down in 13th spot and just four points above the bottom three, Newcastle will be keen to bounce back with a morale-boosting win against a Fulham side below them in the table, as testing fixtures against Arsenal, Brighton, Man United and rivals Sunderland will follow after the international break.

After beating Crystal Palace 2-0 in their most recent PL away match, the Magpies will endeavour to win back-to-back top-flight games on the road for the first time since April 2025 when they travel to Craven Cottage, while the fact that each of their last four away league wins have come in London bodes well ahead of Saturday’s contest.

Fulham Premier League form:

Fulham form (all competitions):

Newcastle United Premier League form:

Newcastle United form (all competitions):

Team News

Fulham are set to have a clean bill of health this weekend, while Ryan Sessegnon is available for selection after serving a three-game ban and could rival Antonee Robinson for a start at left-back.

Hugo Larsson, Cesar Palacios and Tom Cairney are all pushing for a start in centre-midfield, but Arbeloa may decide to stick with Shea Charles and Sander Berge in deeper positions with Joshua King operating as a number 10.

Although Gonzalo Garcia has failed to score in his last eight Premier League starts, the former Real Madrid may keep his place as the central striker, forcing Rodrigo Muniz to watch on from the substitutes’ bench once again.

As for Newcastle, Joelinton is ruled out with an unspecified injury sustained in the defeat to Everton, while Jacob Ramsey will serve a one-match ban after he was sent off in second-half stoppage time in the same game.

Tino Livramento (knee) and Ewen Jaouen (hamstring) remain sidelined through injury, while Mathias Fernandez-Pardo (illness) and Lewis Miley (muscle) are both doubtful and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.

Teenager Sean Steur could take the place of Joelinton and link up with Nico Gonzalez in centre-midfield, but Jaissle may instead move Joe Willock into a deeper midfield role and recall Yoane Wissa to operate in behind central striker William Osula.

Fulham possible starting lineup:

Leno; Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Charles; Bobb, King, Iwobi; Garcia

Newcastle United possible starting lineup:

Hornicek; Dedic, Schar, Burn, Hall; Willock, Gonzalez; Elanga, Wissa, Barnes; Osula

We say: Fulham 1-1 Newcastle United

Newcastle supporters will be expecting a response of epic proportions from Jaissle’s side following a concerning run of form, but they come up against a Fulham outfit growing in confidence and resilience under Arbeloa.

None of the 18 Premier League meetings between these two teams in West London have ended all square (11 Fulham wins, seven Newcastle wins), but we believes that this run will come to an end with a low-scoring draw played out this weekend.

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