Fulham vs Newcastle – News and Probable Lineups

This Saturday, two teams from the lower half of the Premier League will face off at Craven Cottage as Fulham welcomes Newcastle United.

In their previous clash with the Magpies, the Cottagers secured a decisive 2-0 victory at home during their last match of the previous season in May.

Match overview

Fulham started this Premier League season with a six-match winless streak, but head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has seen a significant turnaround in form, managing to guide his squad to a three-match unbeaten stretch, with only one loss in their last six top-flight games (W2 D3).

Following consecutive 1-0 wins against Hull City and Coventry City, Fulham managed to scrape a point in a 1-1 draw with Aston Villa last weekend, thanks to a blunder from goalkeeper Zion Suzuki who inadvertently netted an own goal midway through the second half.

Arbeloa is pleased to see his players adopting his tactical approach and hopes that the Cottagers, currently in 15th place and just two points above the relegation zone, will initiate “a long journey” in the right direction to avoid falling into danger.

Fulham has struggled offensively, scoring the joint third-fewest goals in the Premier League this season (nine), yet they have made substantial strides defensively, allowing only three goals in their preceding six league outings, with no other club conceding fewer than the Cottagers’ total of 11 among those in the current bottom eight.

The Cottagers will be eager for Saturday’s match against Newcastle, having triumphed in three of their last four league encounters with the Magpies (L1), after going eight games without a win against them (D2 L6).

Newcastle’s positive beginning under Matthias Jaissle is now a distant memory for Magpies fans, who voiced their frustration following a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Everton on Monday.

A wave of boos resonated through St James’ Park after Newcastle faced their fourth defeat in five matches, their second loss to the Toffees within just five days, having also been eliminated from the EFL Cup in the fourth round with a 3-1 defeat.

Despite rising tensions among supporters and rumors that players feel they are suffering due to recruitment risks taken in the summer, Jaissle has stated that he is “not worried” about his youthful squad’s recent downturn and believes there’s been even more commitment from the club’s hierarchy to his project over the past week.

Currently positioned 13th with only a four-point buffer above the relegation zone, Newcastle will be keen to rebound with a confidence-boosting victory against Fulham, who are lower on the table, before facing challenging fixtures against Arsenal, Brighton, Man United, and rivals Sunderland after the international break.

Having secured a 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace in their latest Premier League away fixture, the Magpies will aim for consecutive top-flight wins on the road for the first time since April 2025 when they make the trip to Craven Cottage, considering that all four of their most recent away league victories have been in London, imparting optimism ahead of Saturday’s matchup.

Team News

Fulham is expected to have a fully fit squad this weekend, with Ryan Sessegnon back from a three-match ban and in contention to compete with Antonee Robinson for a starting position at left-back.

Hugo Larsson, Cesar Palacios, and Tom Cairney are all pushing for inclusion in central midfield, but Arbeloa might opt to retain Shea Charles and Sander Berge in more defensive roles, with Joshua King operating as an attacking midfielder.

Despite Gonzalo Garcia’s lack of goals in his last eight Premier League starts, the former Real Madrid player may keep his spot as the central striker, which would see Rodrigo Muniz potentially sidelined once more.

For Newcastle, Joelinton is unavailable due to an unspecified injury sustained during the loss to Everton, while Jacob Ramsey will serve a one-match suspension following his dismissal in second-half stoppage time in the same match.

Tino Livramento (knee) and Ewen Jaouen (hamstring) remain out due to injury, while Mathias Fernandez-Pardo (illness) and Lewis Miley (muscle) are both questionable and will be evaluated before kickoff.

Teenager Sean Steur may step in for Joelinton and partner with Nico Gonzalez in central midfield, though Jaissle might prefer to reposition Joe Willock into a deeper midfield role and recall Yoane Wissa to support central striker William Osula.

Fulham probable starting XI:

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

Newcastle United probable starting XI:

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

Newcastle fans will be anticipating a strong reaction from Jaissle’s team after a troubling phase, but they will face a Fulham side gaining confidence and resilience under Arbeloa.

None of the 18 Premier League encounters between these two teams in West London have ended in a draw (11 Fulham victories, seven for Newcastle), yet we speculate that this streak may end with a low-scoring draw this weekend.