This predicted Newcastle team v Fulham – Four changes | OneFootball

Looking at this Newcastle team v Fulham.

Eddie Howe and his players looking to follow up their ten points from a possible twelve in the Premier League (plus progress in the Carabao Cup), with another three points this afternoon.

Newcastle United looking to carry on their unbeaten run/winning form, as they now face the second of three away matches (all competitions) in a row.

Victory today would send United top of the table, with Man City home to Arsenal on Sunday.

So what can we expect the Newcastle team v Fulham to be?

As a starting point, this was the Newcastle team v Wolves:

Pope, Livramento, Schar, Burn, Hall, Joelinton, Bruno, Longstaff, Jacob Murphy, Isak, Gordon

Eddie Howe gave an injury and availability update on Friday morning.

Callum Wilson taking a bit longer to return than expected from his back injury and not available for this one, Eddie Howe saying he hope the striker can start full group training in a couple of weeks time when we get to the international break.

The Head Coach also stating that Lewis Miley was now back out on the grass but still a long way off joining group training and eventual first team availability.

Whilst the longer-term injured duo of Botman and Lascelles are still on the recovery trail as well.

The big news was Eddie Howe confirming media reports that Alexander Isak had picked up a foot injury, as well as having the ball blasted off his face from close range and an issue with his eye at Molineux.

Anyway, my take on all of this after the above, my best guesstimate of the Newcastle team v Fulham…

Pope, Trippier, Schar, Burn, Kelly, Joelinton, Bruno, Tonali, Barnes, Isak, Gordon

So that would make it four changes from the Wolves match.

Hall, Jacob Murphy, Livramento and Longstaff dropping out.

With Trippier, Kelly, Barnes and Tonali coming into the team.

I think to be honest, this is a near impossible Newcastle team v Fulham to predict.

All five subs played their part, to greater or lesser degrees, in that second half at Wolves when United turned it around.

In contrast, some of those who were subbed, as well as certain others who stayed on, didn’t play particularly well in that match.

So what will Eddie Howe do?

Obviously Nick Pope will start, he was excellent yet again, a superb save at the end ensuring all three points.

I think both our young full-backs are still learning their craft and will play plenty of matches this season, but on the basis of at times also having a rest, with the more experienced Kieran Trippier and Lloyd Kelly, or even Matt Targett, coming into the team.

I think Trippier and Kelly will start against Fulham as they both helped to see out that win on Sunday. Though I also think at some point we could well see Kelly paired with Schar in the middle, giving Burn a shift off.

At the other end of the pitch, I have no inside info, but my gut feeling is that Isak will be ok to start. It sounds as though the eye issue was a very short-term thing and my guess is that whatever knock/injury he got to his toe/foot will have settle down after a few days off training.

I think we all assume Anthony Gordon will play today, regardless of who else is available. just a case of where he plays. My prediction is that if Isak is fit, then Gordon will move to the right so that Eddie Howe can play Barnes on the left.

The midfield has so many options now, which is obviously a really good thing though makes it so difficult to predict the team.

Bruno Guimaraes will start and hopefully as games go by he will play himself into better and better form. He has done ok so far but not reaching the heights we know he can.

Joelinton has been in and out so far with his form, he was getting mad with himself as well as the useless referee at Wolves, so I think at least part of Howe’s decision to sub him at half-time was due to him picking up a yellow card and looking more than possible to get another.

However, if Joelinton plays well then it usually means Newcastle win the midfield battle, so I seem him staying in for at least this match.

Tonali will surely start this one you feel, Eddie Howe has taken it slowly, but his quality is clear and has to be introduced from the start.

As usual, some of those fans going so over the top on Longstaff are a disgrace. A misplaced pass right on the edge of the opposition box did NOT cause the goal, I would say maybe 10 percent he was to blame, if that is the right word. Whilst Burn was really the 90 percent to blame, as he should never have allowed their lump of a striker to get so far up the pitch and deliver the cross that was all but impossible to defend.

Having said that, I think Sean Longstaff will be the one to be squeezed out of the midfield.

Whilst maybe the unluckiest of all not to be in my predicted Newcastle team v Fulham, is Joe Willock. Maybe Eddie Howe seeing him as a supersub for the time being, especially in terms of ensuring as far as possible that we can keep him fit and available long-term.

Newcastle United upcoming match schedule, confirmed to end of November:

Saturday 21 September 2024 – Fulham v Newcastle (3pm)

Tuesday 24 September 2024 – AFC Wimbledon v Newcastle (7.45pm) Sky Sports+

Saturday 28 September 2024 – Newcastle v Man City (12.30 pm) TNT Sports

Saturday 5 October – Everton v Newcastle (5.30pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 19 October – Newcastle v Brighton (3pm)

Sunday 27 October – Chelsea v Newcastle (2pm) Sky Sports

Saturday 2 November – Newcastle v Arsenal (12.30pm) TNT Sports