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Fulham vs Newcastle United: 12/05/2019 – match preview and predicted starting XIs

Fulham vs Newcastle United

Date: 12/05/2019

K/O: 15:00

Venue: Craven Cottage

Referee: Kevin Friend

Relegated Fulham host Newcastle United on the final game of the season with little to play for other than league position. Although often, it’s meaningless encounters such as this that can produce the most engaging performances and Fulham will want to enjoy their final Premier League outing before returning to the Championship.

Regardless of Sunday’s result, the hosts will finish the season second from bottom. The Cottagers summer spending increased expectations but ultimately failed to deliver anything tangible after a promising start to the campaign. Almost a year on and three managers later it’s difficult to pull any positives from Fulham’s brief stint back in the top flight.

Many of their new additions have managed to produce anything close to the level of performance expected from them, which will now leave the club with the burden of trying to get rid of the excess. Ultimately any of the high-profile players who are unable to force a move will sit tight safe in the knowledge they have an inflated contract. Player issues coupled with Fulham fans anger at a ticket price spike has made for a dour atmosphere after a jubilant promotion campaign.

Though there is one hope, Scott Parker. Parker took charge after Claudio Ranieri was dismissed and initially did little to prevent the Cottagers slump. However, recently there have been flashes of promise, most notably three successive victories and three clean sheets which have been particularly hard to come by of late. While this isn’t much, it’s the most Fulham fans have had to be excited about all season, and with summer clear out, a core of young talent remains who could grace the Premier League once more in the future.

Meanwhile, Newcastle equally have little to play for and they currently sit 14th in the table, though they could move up a place if Bournemouth were to lose on the final day. Burnley also lurk narrowly below, but even a disastrous final day result would see Rafael Benitez finish 15th. Newcastle are just two points behind last season’s total but currently four places below their 10th place finish last term.

Despite seemingly falling behind their closest rivals, post-January Benitez has built a template for a side that could once again challenge the upper echelons of the Premier League. The issue remains, will he be around to transition that template into a fully functioning model.

Few things on Tyneside are predictable, but there is one inevitability, Mike Ashley will make what is already a tense summer considerably nervier. Realistically Newcastle will have to pull off two significant coups just to remain at the same level, Benitez needs to sign a new contract and Solomon Rondon must be acquired on a permeant deal. The latter is not essential but bringing in an alternative striker will be both costly and a notable risk. However, if Ashley fails to complete either deal and at least maintain Newcastle’s current standing, the Championship surely beckons for the Magpies.

Predicted Starting XIs

Fulham (4-2-3-1): Rico; Christie, Le Marchand, Ream, Bryan; Chambers, Anguissa; Sessegnon, Cairney,
Babel; Mitrovic

Newcastle United (5-2-2-1): Dubravka; Manquillo, Schar, Lascelles, Dummett, Ritchie; Hayden, Ki;
Perez, Atsu; Rondon

Score Prediction: Fulham 2 Newcastle 2

The game may surprise a few and provide one last attacking flourish for both sides before a summer break which sees Fulham prepare for the Championship.

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