Newcastle v Fulham - Match Preview

After three tough away games, Newcastle return to St. James’ Park this afternoon looking to take another step closer to promotion as they host Jokanović’s Fulham. The midweek 0-0 draw against Reading enabled Brighton to keep their title hopes alive, and they’ve taken full advantage – overpowering Rotherham and Derby to go level on points with the Geordies.

Confidence and optimism is high in the Newcastle camp, in what was expected to be a sticky set of fixtures, the Magpies notched up an impressive 7 points out of a possible 9. However, it is the home form that has been the stumbling block this season. Newcastle’s home record has them at 7th place, and Fulham have the 3rd best away record in the Championship; by no means is this fixture a guaranteed home win.

Fulham are just outside the play-off zone in 7th, and having already beaten Newcastle this season, Benítez will certainly be wary of the threats they posses. One of the Cottagers’ key components is their attacking ability – bagging 60 goals – Jokanović has assembled a team that is capable of unlocking the sturdiest of defences. Their top-scorer Chris Martin will be looking to add to his 11-goal tally, but it is the threat of Newcastle target Tom Cairney and Congolese midfielder Neeskens Kebano that the Magpies will look to subdue.

Newcastle enquired about Cairney during the January transfer window, the mounting interest in Cairney is showing no signs of withering; the former Blackburn midfielder has 8 goals and 11 assists this season. In the league, Fulham are on an unbeaten 6-game run, and in their last outing they kept their play-off hopes alive after a last-minute Cairney strike salvaged a point against Leeds United. There are no major injury concerns for the visitors; Ayite and Piazon are the only doubts.

The last three home games against the Cottagers, Newcastle have picked up maximum points – Fulham’s last win at St. James’ Park was in the 2008/09 relegation season. Hatem Ben Arfa scored a spectacular winner when the two sides last met on Tyneside in the Premier League, 3½ years ago. Being possession focused wasn’t on the agenda in the last two games for Benítez, however, by being the home side on Saturday, pressure will firmly be on Newcastle to take full control of the game. Championship top-scorer, Dwight Gayle, is slowly being fed back in to the side, and could make his first start since the home win against Aston Villa.

In a game where the home side is expected to have more of an attacking impetus, Christian Atsu could be reinstated into the starting line-up, replacing Yoan Gouffran. Jack Colback and Matt Ritchie are one booking away from a two-game suspension, but their misdemeanours will be wiped clean after this game. DeAndre Yedlin is nursing a thigh injury and is expected to miss the next two weeks; therefore, we could see Jesús Gámez make a surprising consecutive league start.

Jonjo Shelvey will be the link on virtually all of Newcastle’s attack; the 25-year-old has an average pass accuracy of 82% at St. James’ Park, however, at home, it is Ritchie who has been the most potent playmaker with 68 chances created. Benítez will be looking to celebrate his one-year anniversary with a win on Saturday, which will see Newcastle move three points clear of Brighton, Hughton’s men demonstrated on Friday evening that they will not be giving up the fight, but the ball is very much in the Magpies’ court.

Potential XI (4-2-3-1): Darlow • Dummett, Lascelles (C), Clark, Jesús Gámez • Ritchie, Shelvey, Colback, Atsu • Diamé • Gayle