Newcastle welcomed Fulham in a bottom half of the table clash at St James Park. As usual Darlow kept his position in the absence of Martin Dubravka. In a back four of the 4-4-2 formation was Yedlin, Clark, Fernandez and a return for Paul Dummet in the left of the back four. The midfield consisted of Ritchie at right mid, Longstaff and Shelvey in the center and Almiron on the left hand side of the midfield. Once again Joelinton and Willson make up the attack.
As the game kicked off. Former Newcastle striker Mitrovic had a go from long range forcing an early but comfortable save from Darlow. The first ten minutes of the game Fulham were definitely in control earning a couple of free kicks, with the closest coming in the tenth minute when Cairneys shot deflected, dropping down towards goal but tipped over by Darlow. Following the corner from the free kick, Anguisa whipped the ball in and found Ademola Lookman who met the ball with a powerful header, fortunately straight into the arms of Darlow.
Newcastle had a chance soon after in the thirteenth minute with a free kick played short from Ritchie to Shelvey who played a long ball into the box, headed on by Wilson but met with a punch from Fulhams keeper Alphonse Areola.
Thirty one minutes in Bobby Decordova-Reid missed a great opportunity to put Fulham ahead when he failed to capitalize on Mario Leminas ball through, sliding in Reid failed to get enough on the ball to beat Darlow and instead put the ball wide.
Fulham went ahead in the forty second minute when a corner came in and was headed down by Reid, flicked on by Aderebayo and hit the face of Ritchie for an own goal. 1-0 to Fulham who definitely were the better team in the first half.
In the second half Hayden came on for Federico Fernandez who hasn't looked the same since being out with the Coronavirus.
Early on in the second half Shelvey put the ball over the bar from a free kick in a good position to which Fulhams Anderson received a yellow card.
The sixty-first minute rolled around and Wilson broke away into the box and was brought down by Anderson who after a two-minute review of VAR received a straight red card. Wilson calmly slotted away the penalty to equalise for the mags, scoring his eighth goal of the season. 1-1.
Both sides had free-kicks in good positions which came to nothing, although it was Newcastle who were pressuring towards the end of the game. But there were no answers to the crosses and tame ball throughs. Not a very entertaining game. Full-time Newcastle 1-1 Fulham.
This was a game Bruce ideally needed to win. Maybe not in the eyes of Mike Ashley and Lee Charnley but certainly in the eyes of the fans who have grown tired of the levels of stagnated football and lack of attacking prowess. Up next is a league cup game against Brentford. This game is equally if not more crucial to Bruce. A cup run would certainly help his case but Brentford and ex Mag Ivan Toney look in fine form in the Championship. Roll on Tuesday night.
By Sam West.
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