Newcastle welcomes Fulham to a heated basement battle, with only one point separating the two teams in the table. The Magpies are riding high after their 3-0 victory over Benfica in the Champions League, while Fulham are coming off three consecutive league defeats and an injury crisis. The hosts have won three of the last five head-to-head matches, scoring in every game, mostly decisively in the second half. Harvey Barnes recently shone with a brace against Benfica, Anthony Gordon impressed once again, and the defense is benefiting from the return of Sven Botman. For the visitors, Antonee Robinson, Rodrigo Muniz, and Sasa Lukic are definitely out, while Samuel Chukwueze is doubtful. Coach Marco Silva is under pressure, even though club boss Khan has publicly backed him. Newcastle go into the game as slight favorites.
- Venue: St. James’ Park, Newcastle
- Date and time: October 25, 2025, 4:00 p.m.
- Competition: Premier League (Matchday 9)
Newcastle are clear favorites with odds of around 1.6 after strong results, including three wins from their last five games and a convincing 3-0 win over Benfica. Fulham’s crisis, with three consecutive league defeats and several key players out, significantly widens the gap in form. Recommended bets: A home win (1X2) seems plausible given the visitors’ form, scoring rate, and personnel situation. Over 2.5 goals offers attractive value, as 80% of Newcastle’s recent games have exceeded this mark and the Magpies have scored in each of their last five encounters. For those willing to take a risk, over 1.5 goals in the second half could be interesting, as all of Newcastle’s last five games have seen more than 1.5 goals in the second half and Fulham’s weakened defense could be particularly vulnerable towards the end. Note: Injuries, early red cards, or tactical changes can quickly invalidate predictions. Despite the good statistics, the half-time tip carries a higher risk.
Newcastle Form & Record Check
Newcastle are 14th in the table, just one point ahead of Fulham. The form curve shows clear patterns: in the last five games in all competitions, there have been more than 1.5 goals without exception, and Newcastle has scored in each of these games, with the second half often proving decisive. Internationally, the team has impressed with strong Champions League performances, most recently a 3-0 win over Benfica with important contributions from Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes’ brace. In the league, however, they recently suffered a 2-1 defeat at Brighton, which underlines their inconsistent form. Their home form remains mixed: a 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest is offset by a 2-1 home defeat to Arsenal. The return of Sven Botman after a long injury layoff has had a positive effect on the defense. Nick Woltemade has quickly established himself with four goals in his first five starts, Sandro Tonali is anchored in central midfield after serving his suspension and extending his contract, and Nick Pope has extended his contract until 2027. However, Lewis Hall is out with a thigh injury and Tino Livramento is also unavailable, while Yoane Wissa is carrying a knock.
Eddie Howe is likely to start with a 4-3-3 formation. Due to injuries to Lewis Hall and Tino Livramento, Kieran Trippier and Dan Burn will take over the full-back positions. Sven Botman and new signing Malick Thiaw are expected to start in central defense, with Botman in good form recently. The midfield will be made up of the tried and tested trio of Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali, and Joelinton, with Tonali playing a central role after his recent contract extension. Up front, Anthony Gordon, who has been in fine form in the Champions League with three goals, and Jacob Murphy are expected to start on the wings. Nick Woltemade is expected to start at center forward after scoring four goals in his first five starts. Yoane Wissa is out with knee problems. Among those on the bench is Harvey Barnes, who recently scored twice in a 3-0 win over Benfica. This is a prediction; the final lineup will be announced shortly before kickoff.
Fulham Form & Record Check
Fulham are going through a difficult phase under Marco Silva: three consecutive defeats in the Premier League have seen the Cottagers slip to 15th place, level on points with Leeds and just one point behind Newcastle. The recent 0-1 home defeat to Arsenal was symptomatic, with Joachim Andersen’s injury-enforced exit at half-time and Leandro Trossard’s goal in the second half. The previous league games brought clear 1-3 defeats at Aston Villa and Bournemouth, with a pattern emerging: in all three games, the score was level at half-time, after which Fulham collapsed. In the last five games, there have been no draws, but either clear victories such as the 3-1 win against Brentford and 1-0 against Cambridge United in the League Cup, or clear defeats. Silva describes the current situation as the worst injury crisis of his tenure at Fulham: Robinson is still out with knee problems, Joãozinho Muniz and Aleksandar Lukić are not expected back until the end of October at the earliest, Chukwueze is out with a calf injury, and Tete and Jiménez are doubtful. The coach emphasized how much the absence of regulars such as Robinson has changed the appearance of his team. In terms of performance, Fulham continues to score regularly, but concedes goals just as often, with both sides scoring in four of the last five games. Silva’s contract expires in the summer, and there are rumors of interest from Nottingham Forest, but owner Shahid Khan has signaled his desire to keep him for the long term.
Marco Silva is expected to continue with his 4-2-3-1 system. Bernd Leno will be in goal, with Timothy Castagne, Joachim Andersen, Calvin Bassey, and Ryan Sessegnon forming the back four. Sessegnon will drop back to the left wing as Robinson is out with ongoing knee problems. Sander Berge and Tom Cairney are set to start in central midfield as a double six, with Filip Lukić out with groin problems. Harry Wilson, Alex Iwobi, and Adama Traoré are expected to start in the attacking trio behind striker Raúl Jiménez. The absence of Luiz Guilherme Muniz means Jiménez will be forced to play as the lone striker, while Chukwueze is also likely to be unavailable after his calf injury. Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, and Dominic Solanke are likely to be on the bench as options to provide fresh impetus. The line-up remains a prediction under difficult personnel conditions and is subject to change at short notice.
Newcastle – Fulham Head-to-head comparison & statistics
The record of the last five meetings shows a clear advantage for Newcastle with 3:2, with no draws among them. Newcastle won the three previous duels in a row, in which Fulham did not score. Many games were low-scoring at halftime: in four of the five games, fewer than two goals were scored before the break, with the games usually being decided in the second half. This is evident in the 3-0 win in December 2023, the 2-0 win in the FA Cup in January 2024, and the 1-0 win at Craven Cottage in April 2024, all of which were decided by late goals from Newcastle. However, there has been a recent turnaround in Fulham’s favor: in September 2024, Fulham won 3-1 at home, and in February this year, the Cottagers won 2-1 at St. James’ Park. Fulham has scored in the last two meetings, suggesting a shift in the balance of power that Eddie Howe’s team will have to adjust to.
