Bruno Guimaraes struck a 90th-minute winner as Newcastle battled to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over struggling Fulham at St James’ Park.
Eddie Howe’s side had looked on course for another frustrating Premier League afternoon after Sasa Lukic had cancelled out Jacob Murphy’s first-half strike.
The frustration was building on Tyneside, especially after Bruno headed wide from eight yards out as Newcastle chased a winner, but the captain popped up to break Fulham hearts, condemning Marco Silva’s side to a fourth straight league defeat.
Newcastle find a way as Fulham’s struggles continue
Fresh from a big 3-0 win against Benfica in the Champions League in midweek, Eddie Howe talked about Newcastle kick-starting their Premier League campaign and they started like they meant business. Nick Woltemade should have scored as early as the fourth minute but his shot from six yards struck the upright as Fulham weathered an early storm.
Just when Silva’s side appeared to be getting to grips with the game, they were hit on the counter as Murphy battled past Calvin Bassey to get in on goal and fire a low shot across Bernd Leno and into the back of the net via the inside of the post.
Newcastle United’s Jacob Murphy celebrates scoring their first goal of the game
Fulham continued to be a threat despite going behind, but it was Newcastle who had the best opportunity to score the second goal. Woltemade released Murphy in behind the Fulham defence again but on this occasion Leno got his angles right, making a smart block to deny Newcastle a second.
Nick Pope had to be alert to keep out Emile Smith Rowe’s long-range strike after an error from Sven Botman, showing the vulnerability of Newcastle’s one-goal advantage.
Newcastle didn’t heed those warnings and were pegged back in the 56th minute. So often Fulham’s final ball was off but Kevin, on as a half-time substitute for Smith Rowe, got his cross right, picking out Raul Jimenez, whose powerful shot struck the crossbar. The ball looped back into the six-yard box and Lukic, who took a bang to the head, showed bravery to nod home the equaliser.
Sasa Lukic of Fulham celebrates scoring the equaliser
Newcastle now had questions to answer and Guimaraes could have answered some of them had he not planted a free header wide, with the goal at his mercy, from eight yards out.
It was looking to be a costly miss as the home side, who finished strongly, struggled to find the breakthrough. Joelinton’s header crashed into the side netting before Leno produced a top save to deny Sandro Tonali as Fulham bravely held on. However, Bruno made up for his earlier miss to spark celebrations inside St James’ Park.
‘This is the Newcastle I know’
Bruno Guimaraes celebrates his goal against Fulham
The Newcastle match-winner said: “I feel unbelievable. We were very tired from Wednesday’s game and I think we had to learn how to finish the game.
“I’m happy in the end we scored a goal. The last few games we have been punished at the end – by Arsenal, Liverpool.
“My whole family is here, my mum, my kids, my wife, so to score a goal like that is very special at the Gallowgate End. It is a very good moment.
“We cannot play the perfect game every time but we need to find the three points and we did this today. Very pleased for everyone. This is the Newcastle I know. We fight until the end.”
You might as well have given Bruno a baton. he was orchestrating everything for Newcastle. He was outstanding.
Howe: Newcastle lucky to have Bruno
Newcastle boss Howe saluted “special” player and person Bruno Guimaraes after the Brazil international’s 90th-minute strike.
Howe said: “Bruno, I’ve spoken about him many times, but the player and the person together is a very special thing. His will to win, his drive, his determination to be successful is there for us every day.
“His professionalism to prepare himself to play is of the highest level and I always think you get your rewards if you do that and in the 90th minute, he’s still going.
“How he’s ended up in the box at that moment, I’d love to see back because there must have been a moment where he’s had to put the burners on and foresee what’s going to happen.
“But that’s down to his motivation, so he’s a very special player and as I say, a special person and we’re lucky to have him.”
Fulham in danger of a relegation scrap
Analysis from Sky Sports’ Lewis Jones:
Fulham have a couple of problems.
The surge of the newly-promoted clubs showing no fear, and the huge worries concerning their own final-third output which is lacking in freshness and quality.
Despite showing promise in various phases in the defeat at Newcastle, Fulham were blunt in the key moments. To rack up 47 final third entries and 25 touches in the opposition box at St James’ Park is a really healthy number, but they simply didn’t do enough with their territory.
It’s now four defeats on the spin and if the goals don’t flow soon, pressure is going to mount. That will test the mental resilience of a squad whose recent seasons have delivered stability, rather than battling for survival.
This is a season that could easily evolve into a tension-ridden relegation fight rather than a comfortable mid-table campaign.
Silva: Fulham punished for two errors
Fulham boss Marco Silva understandably felt his side had not reaped the rewards of their efforts after being made to pay for errors in the run-up to both goals.
Silva said: “The game was more them on the front foot, but under control from us, and one mistake again, one mistake that we cannot do and they punished us in a counter-attack moment when you have to do the basics well and we didn’t.
“It’s a moment when you are being punished by details that always play a massive part in Premier League matches.
“We have to face it, we have to improve, clearly. The collective feelings from ourselves, they were good, but we want more.”
