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Two Premier League outfits meet at Craven Cottage for this Saturday evening FA Cup clash. Fulham must lick their wounds quickly after losing on aggregate to Liverpool in the EFL Cup semi finals in midweek.
It will be tough to rebound against a hungry and motivated Newcastle who will be eyeing FA Cup glory after decades without a trophy. The Magpies are desperate to go deep in this competition and start the match as favourites in West London.
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Fulham vs Newcastle predicted lineups
AFCON absences for Fulham
Fulham still have a trio of players on AFCON duty with Fode Ballo-Toure, Calvin Bassey and Alex Iwobi all away. Adama Traore remains on the injured list although the rest of the squad is pretty healthy. The Cottagers played just three days ago in the EFL Cup vs Liverpool so there could be a strong chance of rotation to freshen things up. Marek Rodak will probably take the gloves giving Bernd Leno a breather, whilst the likes of Willian could be benched for the FA Cup. Kenny Tete and Tim Ream should come into the side at the back.
Joelinton blow for Newcastle
Joelinton’s season might be over after undergoing surgery. Newcastle still have long term casualties Joe Willock, Nick Pope, Harvey Barnes and Matt Targett out as well. Callum Wilson is doubtful with a calf injury and is linked with a move away from the club anyway. With Newcastle desperate for silverware Eddie Howe is likely to name his strongest possible XI with Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon leading their attack in Howe’s usual 4-3-3 formation.
Fulham vs Newcastle team stats
Cottagers defence can be got at
The xG and xGA performance correlates closely to Fulham’s performance on the field. They have a high xGA of 1.74 per match and their defence is vulnerable. They have conceded exactly five shots on target from their opponents in each fixture and tend to give up some big chances. Both corners and cards are low in Fulham games. They have only drawn a measly 1.52 cards against in each fixture.
Newcastle backline has been overachieving
Newcastle average nearly two goals per game which is backed up by their xG data. They have a really high xGA of 1.74 per game, which is very concerning for where there ambitions are this term, although they’ve overachieved by only conceding 1.52 goals per game. The Toon Army have conceded more shots on target per game than Fulham have. Corners and cards are usually on the high side for Newcastle fixtures but the numbers are nothing extreme this season. Their discipline has been improved and their wide players are cutting inside more, thus reducing their corners totals.
Fulham vs Newcastle shots and shots on target stats
Raul Jimenez enjoying a strong campaign
The London outfit average less than 12 shots per game and are not the most free-shooting side around. The key is to pick the right people to target and Raul Jimenez is top of the list. He has enjoyed a rebound campaign for Fulham and is usually good for at least one shot on target. He is a juicy-looking 1.53 in this category, or for those playing safe then two or more shots at 1.25 is ideal bet builder material. Harry Wilson is probably the next best option in this market at 1.53 for two or more attempts.
Isak accuracy can always be relied on
The entire Newcastle attacking trio of Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon and Miguel Almiron should all try their luck a few times here. Isak is known for his accuracy with well over 50% of his attempts on target. He is 1.36 to have one or more shots on target which could be added to your Newcastle bet builder. Another option at a shorter price could be youngster Lewis Miley to have one shot or more at 1.22. He often pops up in some good positions and fancies his chances.
Fulham vs Newcastle goals and assists stats
Lack of consistency with the Fulham attack
The Cottagers aren’t really known for consistent goalscoring this season apart from in their strange 5-0 league wins vs Nottingham Forest and West Ham. Raul Jimenez is the top scorer and can be backed at 3.40 to hit the back of the net. For those after a dual threat option, Harry Wilson at 2.63 could be worth a dart.
Isak and Gordon a formidable duo
The two names who stick out for the Magpies are Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon. Isak is a very accurate shooter and can be backed at an incredibly juicy 2.60 to score anytime here, which merits inclusion in any Newcastle bet builder. Gordon has been enjoying a fine campaign and is a threat to both score and assist. It would make the most sense to back him in this market at 2.50 which looks like another really big price.
Fulham cards and fouls stats
Palhinha packing a powerful punch
Fulham are middle-of-the-road for obtaining cards in the Premier League this season and rack up 2.52 per game. They are one of the cleanest teams for fouls committed at just 9.90 per contest, the third-lowest of any team. The clear standout dirty player is midfielder Joao Palhinha who leads their card count and averages close to a couple of fouls per 90 minutes. There is a lot of pressure on him to perform and odds of 2.70 to go into the book make him the shortest price of any player to be carded. The 1.44 that he commits two or more fouls looks like solid Fulham bet builder material.
Newcastle are the third-most fouled team in the Premier League at 12.40 per game. They’ve drawn nearly three cards per game from the opposition and several of their players will create a significant challenge. Bruno Guimaraes is a total foul magnet in the middle of the park adding further weight to Palhinha coming under significant pressure. The other player that stands out is Anthony Gordon who is causing problems to opposing right backs with his trickery. Kenny Tete could be worth looking at in the fouls market as a result.
Newcastle cards and fouls stats
Bruno booking could be the value
Newcastle have improved their discipline this season and only average 2.43 cards per game. They are one of just two teams in the Premier League yet to pick up a red card this campaign. The Magpies have also significantly reduced their foul count to just 10.50 per game, ranking in the bottom five in the top-flight for that. Bruno Guimaraes will have a proper battle against Joao Palhinha and there’s a good chance they get each other booked. Guimaraes is 4.0 to be carded and 2.10 to commit two or more fouls which are both worth considering.
Fulham have only drawn 1.52 cards from their opponents this season which is a really low amount. They are fouled 10.30 times per game which is a middling figure. Quite why they haven’t drawn many fouls is difficult to answer. They average nearly 50% possession so have enough of the ball. Harry Wilson is their most fouled player on this list but Dan Burn is an experienced left back who could deal with him quite well. Joao Palhinha stands out as another fouls candidate, to be on the receiving end of some mistimed challenges.
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