Newcastle missed a golden opportunity to secure a crucial victory. A win would have kept their unbeaten streak intact, propelled them to the top of the league for the night, and bolstered their rising confidence. Instead, they were left to lament a lackluster first-half performance against a vibrant Fulham attack, with goals from Raúl Jiménez, Emile Smith Rowe, and Reiss Nelson sealing a hard-fought, if not perfect, victory for the visitors. Despite setting up a promising second half, Newcastle never quite found their stride, with Harvey Barnes's early goal in the second half narrowing the deficit to 2-1 and setting the stage for an exciting finish.
For the home team, the anxiety was palpable: they had squandered a lead the previous week against West Ham, conceding a late equalizer to Danny Ings. Would history repeat itself? Their fears were allayed by Nelson's goal in stoppage time, a simple finish after a misdirected pass from Bruno Guimarães. Newcastle entered the match with a clear early-season strategy: prioritize points over performance, maintaining their unbeaten record despite a lack of sparkle. The main concern was whether Alexander Isak would play due to eye and foot issues, a worry compounded by a shortage of attacking options.
Fulham, unchanged from their previous match, were a transformed side from their midweek performance. Both teams started with intensity under the late-summer sun, Newcastle appearing to strike first through Joelinton in the fifth minute. However, their joy was short-lived as the goal was disallowed. Jiménez was the catalyst for Fulham, linking up with Adama Traore before scoring with a superb half-volley. Fulham's attack continued to dominate, with Alex Iwobi and Smith Rowe causing havoc. Their partnership led to the second goal, Smith Rowe slotting the ball through Dan Burn's legs and past Nick Pope.
Newcastle's desperation grew as the first half drew to a close, their long-ball strategy failing to yield results. A tactical reshuffle at halftime saw Lewis Hall and Jacob Murphy introduced, and the change paid off immediately. Murphy assisted Barnes, who scored with a precise finish. Despite Newcastle's renewed vigor, Fulham's defense held firm, with Nick Pope making a crucial save from Iwobi. The home fans' anxiety was only eased by Nelson's late goal, providing a much-needed sense of relief.
