Fulham v Newcastle: Preview, predicted line-ups & team news

Neither side has had a settled autumn. Fulham have drawn their last two home and away fixtures against Manchester United and Aston Villa either side of a one-goal win at Coventry, and they sit 15th on 9 points from 9 games. Newcastle arrive from a 1-0 home defeat to Everton on 2 November, their third loss in their last five league games. The table is tight enough that Saturday carries real weight for both: only two points separate the sides, and the relegation places begin with Crystal Palace on 7 points. Fulham have the home advantage and the better underlying numbers, but Newcastle have won seven of the last ten meetings.

Fulham have taken 9 points from 9 games, winning 2, drawing 3 and losing 4, with 9 goals scored and 11 conceded. The scoring rate is the concern: they average 1.0 goals per game across the campaign and have failed to score twice. However, the underlying figures are kinder. Their recent-form data shows an average expected goals figure of 1.42 for and 1.2 against, with 57.7% average possession and 13.67 shots per game, suggesting the results have lagged slightly behind the performances.

The home record is the weaker part of the picture, with one win, one draw and two defeats from four at Craven Cottage, and 7 goals conceded there. Even so, they have scored 6 times in those four games, a healthy rate by their standards, and they are unbeaten in their last two league matches, a 1-0 win at Coventry followed by a 1-1 draw at Aston Villa on 31 October.

Newcastle are 13th on 11 points, with 3 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeats from 9, and a goal difference of minus 3. They have scored 12 and conceded 15, and the defensive trend is the more worrying one: their recent-form data shows 1.67 goals against per game, with an expected goals against figure of 1.66. That suggests the concession rate is a fair reflection of the chances they allow rather than bad luck.

Their away record is mixed, with 2 wins and 2 defeats from four, including a 4-1 loss at Coventry on 12 October and a 2-0 win at Crystal Palace on 25 October. They have scored in every away league game, at the same rate as Fulham's home scoring, so Fulham are unlikely to keep a clean sheet without conceding chances.

Fulham's last nine league games read 2 wins, 3 draws and 4 defeats, while Newcastle's read 3 wins, 2 draws and 4 defeats. On results alone Newcastle have the better return, with 12 goals scored against Fulham's 9. However, Newcastle have lost three of their last four away or home games against Coventry, Aston Villa and Everton, and conceded 15 in total, against 11 for Fulham. Fulham's recent-form data shows 3 clean sheets in nine to Newcastle's 2, and an expected goals against figure well below Newcastle's. Neither side is in good order, but Fulham's numbers are the steadier of the two.

Fulham are 15th with 9 points from 9 games, two points above 18th-placed Crystal Palace on 7, and level on points with Coventry in 16th. Newcastle are 13th with 11 points from 9, level with Hull City, Leeds and Ipswich and one point behind Tottenham, Aston Villa and Bournemouth on 12. Two points separate the sides.

A Fulham win would take them to 12 points and into the pack on 12 that currently occupies 8th to 10th, while also lifting them five points clear of the bottom three's current top mark. A Newcastle win would take them to 14 points, the tally currently held by sixth-placed Brentford, and would leave Fulham only two points clear of the drop zone.

The record covers ten meetings. Newcastle have won seven and Fulham three, with no draws, which is unusual enough in itself. Those games have averaged 2.7 goals, with both teams scoring in 5 of the 10 (50%) and over 2.5 goals in 6 (60%). The most recent meeting was a 2-0 Fulham win at Craven Cottage on 24 May 2026, in the final round of last season's Premier League campaign.

The rivalry has tilted back towards Fulham in the recent sample. They won three of the last five meetings, including 3-1 at home in September 2024 and 2-1 at Newcastle's ground in February 2025, against two Newcastle wins by 2-1, one in the Premier League and one in the League Cup. The scorelines point towards goals rather than a tight game, and a 60% rate supports the Over market. However, both sides' current scoring rates are modest, so the BTTS rate of 50% in these meetings is the more cautious guide.

The biggest gap is in defensive quality as measured by chance creation allowed. Fulham's recent-form data shows an expected goals against figure of 1.2 per game, while Newcastle's is higher. That is a clear difference, and it matches the results: Fulham have conceded 1.22 goals per game, Newcastle 1.67.

The second gap is territorial. Fulham average 57.7% possession and 6.44 corners per game, against Newcastle's 51% and 4.44, and they also lead on shots on target, 4.44 to 3.22. That suggests Fulham should spend more time in the final third. However, Newcastle score more per game, 1.33 to Fulham's lower figure, so Fulham's edge in process has not yet converted into end product.

Both sides are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1, matching the latest team sheets, which were the Aston Villa game for Fulham and the Everton game for Newcastle. Neither shape is likely to change materially, and the selection questions are in the attacking midfield positions.

Fulham: Leno; Castagne, Affengruber, Bassey, Robinson; Berge, Charles; Bobb, King, Iwobi; García

Newcastle: Horníček; Dedić, Schär, Burn, Hall; González, Joelinton; Elanga, Willock, Barnes; Osula

Fulham v Newcastle kicks off at 15:00 GMT on Saturday 7 November at Craven Cottage. As a Saturday 3pm kick-off it falls in the UK closed period, so it is not shown live on television or streaming in the UK. Highlights are on Match of the Day on BBC One on Saturday night.

The strongest angle is Newcastle's defensive record. They have conceded 8 goals in four away league games and carry an expected goals against figure of 1.66 per game, while Fulham have scored 6 in four at home. That points to a home win and a game with goals at both ends, backed by a 60% over rate and a 50% BTTS rate across the ten meetings. The main risk is Fulham's overall scoring rate, the lowest in the sample.