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Newcastle Utd 2 -0 Fulham


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Newcastle v Fulham

 

St James' Park

Saturday, 22 March

Kick-off: 1500 GMT

Coverage on the BBC Sport website, BBC Radio Five Live & highlights on Match of the Day

 

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan has no fresh injury problems.

 

Shay Given is out for six weeks after groin surgery, while James Milner (foot), Emre (calf) and Stephen Carr (hamstring) also remain sidelined.

 

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has no fresh injury worries ahead of the trip to Newcastle on Saturday.

 

Hodgson is likely to remain loyal to the strikeforce of Eddie Johnson and Brian McBride as they try to win their first away game for 18 months.

 

Newcastle (from): Harper, Forster, Beye, Enrique, Taylor, Faye, Cacapa, Edgar, Butt, N'Zogbia, Duff, Barton, Geremi, Owen, Smith, Martins, Viduka, Carroll.

 

Fulham (from): Keller, Konchesky, Johnson, Stalteri, Hughes, McBride, Bullard, Davies, Andreasen, Murphy, Hangeland, Batista, Volz, Healy, Bocanegra, Dempsey.

 

#Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan:

"The fans have always got an important role at a club as big as this.

 

"When you have got 50,000 of them in your stadium, then you do need their support at a time like this.

 

"Sometimes, the team needs the crowd to get them going. We are maybe in that situation at the moment."

 

#Fulham boss Roy Hodgson:

"We know it's going to be a tough game but we've got ourselves in a tough position so unfortunately every game is a tough game.

 

"We can look at it and say 'it's a difficult task in a cauldron and it's going to be hard for us' or we can also look at is as a great opportunity - a great chance to break our away hoodoo.

 

"I think there's a lot of experience in our team and that counts in these matches."

 

BIG-MATCH FACTS

Newcastle stopped the rot of four successive defeats with a morale-boosting point from a 1-1 draw with Birmingham at St Andrews on Monday. The Magpies came from behind for the first time under Kevin Keegan, but are still looking for a first victory in nine games since his return.

 

The Toon have not celebrated a league victory in 13 since they last played Fulham on the banks of the Thames in December. It's left them just four points above the danger line.

 

Fulham, who are four points from safety, are on a Premier League record of 31 away matches without victory. The last time they gained maximum points on the road was against Newcastle at St James' Park in September 2006. Failure to return with all three points will set a new league club record for the Cottagers.

 

The Cottagers travel on the back of last Sunday's 1-0 home win over high-riding Everton, but have not picked up successive victories in 64 Premier League outings since the victory on Tyneside one and half years ago.

 

CLUB FORM

NEWCASTLE UNITED

Club stats

Fixtures

 

Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 12th

Lowest could fall: 16th

 

All statistics and sequences refer to the Premier League only, unless otherwise stated.

 

1. Registered just one victory in 16 in all competitions; the win being 4-1, home to Stoke in the FA Cup third round replay on 16 January.

 

2. Picked up three points from the 39 available since their last victory; 0-1 against Fulham at Craven Cottage on 15 December.

 

3. On their longest winless run since ending the 1998-99 campaign and beginning 1999-2000 with 14 without victory at the demise of Ruud Gullit's reign in charge, and the outset of Sir Bobby Robson's.

 

4. Scored just four goals in eight games under Keegan, during which three points have been accrued.

 

5. Already conceded 10 more goals than in the whole of last season (57); only Derby (64) have a leakier defence. Let in 10 goals in the last five minutes, that is more than any other club.

 

6. Last but one in the "Last Six Current Form" table with two points from the possible 18, leading only Derby on goal difference.

 

7. The current tally of 29 points after 30 matches is four points fewer than their previous lowest to this juncture of the campaign. Only 35 points were accrued by this corresponding stage in 1997-98, when they finished 13th (last season they also finished 13th).

 

8. Picked up three points from a last possible 18 at home since beating Birmingham 2-1 on 8 December; their only maximum in 10 at St James' Park. But not lost at home to a London club in nine, winning four and drawing five since Fulham eclipsed them, 18 months ago.

 

9. Away to Tottenham next, before a home clash with Reading, and a long trip to Portsmouth. Then it's the North-East derby with Sunderland at St James.

 

FULHAM

Club stats

Fixtures

 

Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 18th

Lowest could fall: 19th

 

All statistics and sequences refer to the Premier League only, unless otherwise stated.

 

1. Picked up one point out of the last 12; the 1-1 stalemate at Blackburn was their 11th draw of the season, a total equalled only by Liverpool.

 

2. Won two of 20 (all competitions).

 

3. The 1-0 home win over Everton last Sunday ended a four-match winless run. Only two goals have been scored in the five games.

 

4. Managed one clean sheet in six, and only two in 20.

 

5. Accumulated 23 points; but always had at least 32 by this stage in this league previously.

 

6. Only ahead of rock bottom Derby in the table and in three categories; won four (Derby one), dropped 67 points (Derby 80), and used 33 players (only the Rams have used more, 34).

 

7. Lost the lead in 11 matches, and flittered away an unequalled 25 points from winning positions. They were in front against Arsenal (a), Middlesbrough (h), Aston Villa (a), Chelsea (h) and West Ham (a), and went on to lose all five games.

 

8. Gained nine points fewer than their previous lowest to this stage of the season in 2004-05, when they rallied to finish 13th. Had 11 more points going into their 31st fixture last season, from where they only gained five more points.

 

9. One of three clubs still without an away win. Picked up 14 points from a possible 93 since the 1-2 defeat of Newcastle at St James' Park on 9 September 2006. They have won two of the last 52 league games away from Craven Cottage.

 

10. Away to Derby next, before a home clash with Sunderland and a visit to Reading. Then the Cottagers will play host to Liverpool.

 

KEY PLAYER NOTES

NEWCASTLE UNITED

 

Obafemi MARTINS and Michael OWEN are Newcastle's joint top scorers with seven goals each.

 

MARTINS is the club's top marksmen in the Premier League with six.

 

If selected:-

 

Damien DUFF will be making his 300th career league appearance (Blackburn, Chelsea and Newcastle).

 

FULHAM

 

Clint DEMPSEY is Fulham's top scorer with six Premier League goals.

 

Chris BAIRD, Paul KONCHESKY, Elliot OMOZUSI, Moritz VOLZ, Hameur BOUAZZA and Leon ANDREASEN have all been sent off. No club has had more than six players dismissed in Premier League competition this season.

 

If selected:-

 

Brian McBRIDE will be making his 150th English league appearance (Preston, Everton and Fulham).

 

Jimmy BULLARD will be making his 50th career Premier League appearance (Wigan and Fulham).

 

Aaron HUGHES will be facing the club where he started his professional career. The 28 year old Northern Ireland international made 278 appearances (205 in the league) and scored six goals (four league) for Newcastle before his £1.5m move to Aston Villa in May 2005.

 

HEAD TO HEAD

Newcastle took away all three points from Craven Cottage in December, courtesy of an injury-time penalty after Alan Smith went down under a challenge from Elliot Omozusi.

 

Newcastle are now hoping to complete their second Premier League double over the Cottagers, and first since 2003-04.

 

The all-too-rare victory on the road at St James' Park in September 2006, was only their fourth triumph in 19 league visits.

 

Home and away

League (inc PL): Newcastle 18 wins, Fulham 21, Draws 12

Prem: Newcastle 5 wins, Fulham 6, Draws 2

 

at Newcastle only

League (inc PL): Newcastle 11 wins, Fulham 7, Draws 7

Prem: Newcastle 2 wins, Fulham 2, Draws 2

 

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME

Newcastle United 1-2 Fulham

9 September 2006 - Ref: Chris Foy

Newcastle scorer: Parker 54

Fulham scorers: McBride 82, Bocanegra 89

 

THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE

Fulham 0-1 Newcastle United

15 December 2007 - Ref: Howard Webb

Newcastle scorer: Barton 90 pen

 

REFEREE: Alan Wiley (Burntwood, Staffordshire)

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/e...rem/7298208.stm

 

 

Four nowt I reckon.

 

:razz:

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good to see Edger in the squad, played very well in last to reserve games

Shame that knacker Taylor gets picked regardless though.

Not your favourite person at the moment is he? :razz:

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Hope King Kev saw the positives of leaving Smith on the bench last game and continues this bright idea.

 

Wouldn't mind seeing a repeat of last game's squad, rather the Zog or Duff be included in the midfield to add some attack however. I feel like Fulham are there for the taking if we only go after them.

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I feel like Fulham are there for the taking if we only go after them.

This has to be the game plan. Seeing how much more positive people are after we just drew with Birmingham I think the atmosphere would be rocking after a positive start and an early goal.

 

Though, I already expected this in the games against Bolton and Boro...

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I'd go for pretty much the same line up, the only change would be CNZ for one of the other midfielders.

 

but I'd play at a ridiculous tempo from the 1st minute because if Fulham can keep us out for 20 minutes or so the crowd will turn and the players will crumble.

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Expect us to win this but have a feeling Bullard will score for them.

I agree, there's something about that lad at the minute... the Gods seem to be smiling on him. Probably to make up for the melted welly he has for a face.

 

I'm going to see what odds I can get for a 2-1 home win

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0,,10278~3605207,00.gif

 

:icon_lol::razz:

 

Nicky Butt's expression there is quality! Looks like Duke enjoyed himself yesterday!

 

The first goal is absolutely crucial tomorrow, if we get an early goal, I can see the floodgates opening and the frustrations of the previous games being banished from the memory with 3 or 4 goals.

 

Get at them from the start, play with plenty of width and play the ball into Viduka's feet, can't see us going wrong if we are professional, committed and have a real go at them and put in a real shift.

 

Left flank will be crucial, with Enrique and Martins. Can't see us going far with the right flank with Owen and Beye, and centrally I think it'll be more about Butt and Geremi keeping Murphy and Bullard quiet while Barton bombs forward.

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I know Zoggy's in the bad books but....

 

0,,10278~3605205,00.gif

 

...cocking your leg to fart at him is a bit much.

 

:razz:

0,,10278~3605208,00.gif

 

Bet he used his arm again, with that ingenious facade of it hitting him in the stomach.

 

 

It's between him and Carra for rush goalie of the year.

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NUFC: Harper; Enrique, Faye, Taylor, Beye; Barton, Butt, Geremi; Martins, Owen ©, Viduka.

Subs: Forster, Edgar, N'Zogbia, Smith, Carroll.

 

FFC: Keller; Stalteri, Hughes, Hangeland, Konchesky; Andreasen, Bullard, Murphy, Davies; Johnson, McBride ©.

Subs: Warner, Volz, Bocanegra, Healy, Dempsey

Referee: Alan Wiley.

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TEAMS

 

NUFC: Steve Harper, Habib Beye, Jose Enrique, Abdoulaye Faye, Steven Taylor, Geremi, Nicky Butt, Joey Barton, Michael Owen ©, Mark Viduka, Oba Martins

Subs: Fraser Forster, David Edgar, Alan Smith, Andy Carroll, Charles N'Zogbia

 

FFC: Kasey Keller, Paul Konchesky, Paul Stalteri, Brede Hangeland, Aaron Hughes, Leon Andreason, Jimmy Bullard, Danny Murphy, Simon Davies, Brian McBride ©, Eddie Johnson

Subs: Tony Warner, Moritz Volz, Carlos Bocanegra, David Healy, Clint Dempsey

 

Referee: Alan Wiley

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