“Newcastle United Fall to Fulham: First Premier League Loss Since Spring”
Newcastle United endured a tough defeat to Fulham, marking their first Premier League loss since last spring. If they don’t step up their performance, another loss might not be far off, as complacency seemed to set in at Craven Cottage. The team will surely be motivated by the criticism that will follow this result.
Eddie Howe might be relieved that there’s no time for an in-depth review, as advancing to the fourth round of the Carabao Cup is now the immediate focus. Here’s a recap of key takeaways from the 3-1 defeat to Marco Silva’s side.
Harvey Barnes took responsibility for the lackluster performance during his post-match interview
Barnes was the only senior Newcastle player to speak to the media after the game, with his second-half goal offering brief hope of a comeback. Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, as Newcastle lacked the qualities that have made them European contenders in recent years.
In an interview with BBC Match of the Day, Barnes said: “We didn’t have the basics right today. Off the ball, we weren’t as solid or aggressive as we usually are, and on the ball, we just weren’t at our best.”
Fulham fans taunt Newcastle after their first Craven Cottage loss since 2016
Newcastle’s last defeat at Craven Cottage was back in the opening match of the 2016/17 Championship season. Since then, they’ve secured five straight wins here in both the Premier League and FA Cup, with Fulham’s last top-flight victory dating back to 2014. However, from the outset, Fulham were aggressive, leaving their fans celebrating in the sun with chants like “No noise from the Geordie boys” and “3-1 and a long way home.” A better performance was expected from Eddie Howe’s side, especially against a team that finished in the bottom half last season.