Match Report
Fulham (0) 0-1 (0) Newcastle United
Premiership Match Day 32 23/24 at Craven Cottage
Saturday 6th April 2024 KO: 15:00
Referee:
Sam Allison (Wiltshire)
|
| Match Stats |
Fulham |
Newcastle |
| Goals |
(0)0 |
1 (0) |
|
| Scorers |
Guimaraes 81 |
- |
| , |
| Goal attempts |
14 |
12 |
| On target |
4 |
5 |
| Shooting Accuracy |
29% |
42% |
| Possession |
67% |
33% |
| Passes |
588 |
296 |
| Passes Success |
85% |
76% |
| Crosses |
40 |
11 |
| Crosses Success |
15% |
9% |
| Corners |
14 |
3 |
| Tackles |
20 |
14 |
| Tackles Success |
45% |
43% |
| Saves |
4 |
4 |
| Fouls |
10 |
13 |
| Offsides |
0 |
2 |
| Yellows |
1 |
2 |
| Reds |
0 |
0 |
| source: SkySports |
Fulham fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United at Craven Cottage.
The Whites were on top for much of the first half but were unable to make their pressure count, heading into the break level.
The visitors dealt a sucker punch and scored the game’s solitary goal nine minutes from time, as Bruno Guimaraes powered an effort past Bernd Leno following a clearance to the edge of the box.
Marco Silva made three changes from the side that was defeated 3-1 by Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Tuesday night, with Timothy Castagne, Tom Cairney and Willian replacing Kenny Tete, Sasa Lukic and Harry Wilson.
Fulham started brightly, with Antonee Robinson testing Martin Dubravka at his near post just three minutes in. Clever linkup play between Rodrigo Muniz, Cairney and Willian saw an effort go over the bar in the seventh minute.
We kept the pressure up with a quick attack through the lines, starting from Leno and eventually finding its way to Castagne high in the right channel – a low cross fell to Willian on the edge of the box, but his effort went wide on 10 minutes.
Castagne was the creator again as a hooked pass from the byline found João Palhinha, but his low shot trickled just wide. With a quarter-of-an-hour played, the ball had hardly left the Newcastle half.
The visitors had their first real foray into our half through a quick free-kick as Anthony Gordon drove at the box and laid off to Sean Longstaff, but the final ball through to Alexander Isak was well collected by Bernd Leno. Gordon tried his luck from 20 yards in the following phase of play, but the shot was wide of the target.
Gordon again found himself at the centre of the Newcastle attacks as clever play on the left wing beat Castagne, before a low effort from a matter of yards went wide of Leno’s net.
Play switched straight to the opposite end of the pitch on 38 minutes, as Andreas Pereira fed Muniz in 12 yards from goal – Dubravka saved his effort.
Newcastle had the first effort of the second half, with Leno equal to another Gordon effort – this time, palming away a shot from the edge of the box having got the better of Castagne.
Andreas almost had us ahead on the hour mark as good linkup play with Muniz allowed him the space to attempt a half-volley just inside the box, but Dubravka saved the effort well.
With 15 minutes of regular time to go, Newcastle thought they had taken the lead on the second phase of a corner – Gordon crossed from the right and it fell kindly to Fabian Schar at the back post, who finished low past Leno.
The referee, however, was called to visit the VAR monitor and overruled the goal for a foul by Dan Burn, with the Newcastle defender pushing Calvin Bassey.
Shortly after, Newcastle did take the lead. Harvey Barnes crossed from the left and Robinson cleared, but only as far as Guimaraes, who arrowed past Leno from the edge of the box on 80 minutes.
Fulham piled on the pressure throughout the nine minutes of additional time with a series of corners, but were unable to make it count as Newcastle travelled home with all three points.
Fulham head coach Marco Silva said in his post-match press conference that Dubravka's first-half injuries allowed Howe to give a team talk to his under-pressure side:
"It was tactical. The first one is clear. They gave feedback for the goalkeeper to go down.
"The referee has to stop the game - there's no way for the game to keep going. It was a tactical decision from them but it is what it is."
Asked how he felt about it: "It's the decision of Eddie and their technical staff. No comments on that."
On the defeat: "We had the chances. We played a very good first half. Just a lack of better finishing in the attack and to put the ball in the net.
"We should have scored one or two goals at least. It is really important to be clinical when you create so many chances.
"Our momentum in the game was high but we didn't score. Newcastle tried to break our momentum with the goalkeeper twice on the grass and players on the grass always trying to break that momentum. They were struggling in that moment.
"Overall, it was a game we clearly deserved more from. The commitment and ambition to win was there but unfortunately we haven't scored from our chances we created."
Fulham : Leno, Castagne, Tosin, Bassey, Robinson, Palhinha (Broja 85), Cairney (Lukic 65), Iwobi, Pereira (Traore 65), Willian (Wilson 65), Muniz (Jimenez 86)
Unused substitutes: Rodak, Reed, Ream, De Cordova-Reid
Booked: Lukic (68,f)
Newcastle United : Dubravka, Krafth, Schar, Burn, Hall (Dummett 95), Longstaff, Guimaraes, Willock (Anderson 40), J Murphy (Barnes 65), Isak, Gordon (Ritchie 95)
Unused substitutes: Karius, Gillespie, White, Diallo, A Murphy
Goals:
Guimaraes 81 (Just minutes after Schar's goal was chalked off Guimaraes hammers Newcastle ahead!
Barnes' cross is cleared away by Robinson but Guimaraes is there to hit a first time rebound past Leno.
Newcastle have the lead!)
Booked: Krafth (17,f), Longstaff (51,f)
Referee:
Sam Allison (Wiltshire)
Attendance: 24,418