FULHAM and Newcastle United will be be both be thinking about what could have been in the Carabao Cup but can't dwell on their heartache as they bid to take another step towards Wembley in the FA Cup.
The Cottagers head into this fourth-round tie off the back of a devastating aggregate defeat to Liverpool in the Carabao Cup semis and Wednesday's 1-1 draw in London was painful for me as well as all my recommended bets came up short.
Fans were dreaming of a first final in that competition and the season could easily peter out for Marco Silva's side if they follow it up with an FA Cup exit just a few days later.
Fulham look too good to get dragged into the relegation battle but it will be a pretty dull second half to the season if there's another knockout blow at Craven Cottage.
The same could be said for Newcastle as they bid to end a wait for major silverware that stretches all the way back to the 1960s. Having reached the Carabao Cup Final last season, the Magpies looked good for a repeat after knocking out both Manchester clubs in the early rounds.
They also led Chelsea at Stamford Bridge heading into the dying stages of their quarter-final, only for a defensive mistake to allow the Blues to level before Mauricio Pochettino's men won on penalties.
Watching Chelsea batter Middlesbrough in the semis would have been painful for the Toon Army but Newcastle United still have a chance to end the season on a high.
They swatted aside local rivals Sunderland in the last round of the FA Cup and only another late goal stopped them getting something from Premier League champions Manchester City on a better night for me with a full house of tips landing.
If Eddie Howe's side can repeat the intensity of those two performances they should have enough to see off a Fulham side drained both emotionally and physically by that midweek loss to Liverpool.
How the bookies view it
Despite having home advantage, Fulham are outsiders here at 41/20 (BetMGM) for a win in 90 minutes and 5/4 (Bet365) to qualify. Newcastle are just 4/7 at Bet365 to march on but the odds increase to 6/5 (William Hill) for a win in 90 minutes.
Recent head to head
Newcastle have dominated this fixture in recent seasons and are unbeaten in their last seven matches against Fulham. Five of those games ended in victory for the Magpies, including a 3-0 battering at St James' Park earlier this term. Armchair fans will be hoping for a repeat of the 1956 FA Cup tie between these teams in London, which ended in a 5-4 victory for Newcastle.
Players to watch
Harry Wilson made a big impact off the bench for Fulham in midweek, setting up the equaliser before coming close to grabbing a goal that would have levelled the semi-final on aggregate. The Welsh winger has done enough to merit a start here and is 19/5 at Unibet for anytime scorer. The same firm price him at 17/20 just to have a shot on target and that looks good as he takes free-kicks as well.
Alexander Isak is in great form for Newcastle, netting five times in his last four matches, and should lead the line again. The Swede is 13/8 with Paddy Power for anytime scorer which looks overpriced based on current form.
Anything else catch the eye?
Newcastle haven't played for two weeks and that break will have been a godsend with Howe's players knackered after a demanding run of games with a stretched squad. Fulham had to dig deep in midweek against Liverpool so the Magpies look decent value for the win.
Card machine Joao Palhinha has gone five games without going into the book so that suggests he might be due some trouble with the ref. The Fulham midfielder is 7/4 with Paddy Power to take his tally for the season to 11.
Neither side will sit back so it should be an open game. Backing over 3.5 offsides could pay off at evens with Unibet while combining BTTS and over 2.5 goals pays 21/20 with Bet365.
This FA Cup match between Fulham and Newcastle United will be played on Jan 27, 2024 and kick off at 19:00. 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.
