NEWCASTLE UNITED are limping towards the finishing line in the Premier League and need a win away to inconsistent Fulham to keep their faint hopes of European football alive.
Having finished in the top four last term and reached the League Cup Final, there's no doubt this has been a frustrating campaign for the Magpies, with their long wait for silverware going on.
The club's Saudi owners will have been looking for Eddie Howe's men to build on last season's success and the Newcastle United boss could be under pressure come the summer if they finish in mid-table.
But it's hard not to feel for Howe with a horrendous injury list crippling his squad squad earlier in the campaign and the walking wounded mounting up again as they head down the home straight.
I thought Everton might take something from St James' Park on Tuesday night and that's how it turned out as the Toffees grabbed a late leveller from the spot. Now Howe must rouse his players for a tricky trip to Fulham.
The Cottagers have played some great football at times this season and blazed a trail to the League Cup semi-finals before bowing out to eventual winners Liverpool.
But their season is now effectively over with Marco Silva's side well clear of the drop zone but too far down the table to mount a realistic push for Europe.
Keeping the players motivated is Silva's toughest task and they lost 3-1 at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday as a goals bet landed for our man Mark.
Fulham's inconsistency is summed up by the fact they've won four of their last eight games but if they're at their best for this one then they could easily punish a weakened Newcastle United side.
How the bookies view it
This is a tough one to call and it's reflected in the odds, with Fulham 31/20 at Bet365 and Newcastle United priced 7/4 with 888Sport. The draw will be popular at 14/5 with QuinnBet but I fancy Fulham to edge this one given the Magpies have so many players missing in defence.
Recent head to head
Newcastle United have been a bogey team for Fulham in recent seasons and they've gone eight games without defeat in this fixture. The last five clashes have ended in wins for the Magpies, including a 2-0 FA Cup triumph on their last visit to Craven Cottage.
Players to watch
Rodrigo Muniz let Mark down in midweek but is still in incredible form with eight goals in his last nine outings. The striker has scored in last four games at Craven Cottage and is a tempting 13/8 at Bet365 to keep that run going.
Anthony Gordon had to sit out Newcastle's midweek draw with Everton after a sending off in the thrilling win over West Ham. He returns fresh for this game and is 11/5 with Bet365 for anytime scorer but an assist might be more likely once that market is priced up.
Anything else catch the eye?
Fulham are usually pretty good value for corners and have racked up 23 of them across their last two outings. They also won 10-5 on the corner count in that FA Cup loss to Newcastle United so Fulham -1 in the corner handicap looks good here at 6/5 with Unibet.
Bruno Guimaraes has cleaned up his act of late, with the only yellow card in his last 14 games coming on international duty for Brazil. But the midfielder still has 16 bookings across the season and is maybe due a card, with Bet365 offering 11/4 on his going into the book.
This English Premier League match between Fulham and Newcastle United will be played on Apr 6, 2024 and kick off at 15:00. Check below for our tipsters best Fulham vs Newcastle United prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
