Newcastle v Fulham, 2024/25

Rodrigo Muniz’s deft finish from an Andreas Pereira free-kick eight minutes from time handed the Cottagers their first away win against Newcastle since 2009.

Raul Jimenez scored his ninth league goal of the season just after the hour as he cancelled out Jacob Murphy’s opener for Eddie Howe’s side in the first half.

Sandro Tonali and Alexander Isak struck the woodwork in either side of the break, but the Magpies were consigned to their second straight home defeat.

Newcastle remain fifth with 41 points - level with fourth-placed Manchester City who face Arsenal on Sunday - while Fulham move up to ninth with their win.

How the match unfolded

Newcastle were made to wait until the 28th minute for their first shot on target as Fabian Schar was slipped in by Bruno Guimaraes only for Bernd Leno to save well before Tonali struck the woodwork with a fierce strike from 30 yards out.

Only two minutes later, Anthony Gordon drove forward with the ball down the left-hand side and his cross deflected kindly off Calvin Bassey and into the path of Murphy who finished first time.

Leno was called upon again soon after, denying Tino Livramento, who was played through on goal by Isak five minutes before the half-time interval.

Jimenez, however, restored parity in the 61st minute after intercepting Tonali’s loose pass before the Mexican placed Antonee Robinson’s cross home via a deflection off goalscorer Murphy.

Fulham continued to threaten and were rewarded for their efforts when substitute Muniz arrived at the near post to guide Pereira’s set-piece delivery past Martin Dubravka for the winner.

Newcastle beaten at home again

It was all looking good for Newcastle at the halfway point of the contest as Murphy’s goal had them back in the Premier League top four. However, Eddie Howe’s side once again came up short at home, having also lost 4-1 to AFC Bournemouth a fortnight ago.

Howe fielded the same side that beat Southampton 3-1 last week, but they failed to come up with a reply after they were hit early by Fulham in the second half through Jimenez.

Substitute Joe Willock arrived in the box unmarked but failed to wrap his foot around a cross from Isak in the 68th minute, arguably the hosts’ best chance of finding a second goal.

As Newcastle probed for an equaliser, they struck the crossbar for the second time in the game when Isak’s curled effort had Leno beaten, but they were made to rue those misses as the visitors completed their comeback late on.

With crunch clashes against champions Man City, Nottingham Forest and Liverpool to come up next, Howe will have his work cut out to help his side regain their winning momentum.

Fulham produce spirited fightback

Jimenez and Emile Smith Rowe had struck inside 22 minutes as Fulham defeated Newcastle 3-1 at Craven Cottage in September.

But it was the Magpies who made the brighter of starts on Saturday and deservedly went ahead, only for Silva’s side to come out a completely different team after the restart.

There were glimpses of what they could produce in the first period, though. Jimenez got behind the Newcastle backline in the 31st minute only to fluff his lines, while Adama Traore, who replaced the injured Harry Wilson, couldn’t get enough purchase on a header from Alex Iwobi’s cross three minutes later.

But they got Newcastle firmly on the defensive at the start of the second period with Dubravka having to push away a long-range effort from Smith Rowe in the 48th minute while Jimenez’s shot was deflected behind by Schar soon after.

Jimenez continued to create problems for Howe’s side before he initiated the comeback, with substitutes Muniz and Pereira combining to give Fulham only their third Premier League double over Newcastle - after 2006-07 and 2008-09.

The Cottagers will still cling on to hopes of reaching the European places but face high-flying Nottingham Forest at the City Ground next.