Newcastle v Fulham Premier League match and betting odds preview.
Newcastle v Fulham
St. James’ Park, Sunday April 7th; kick-off 15:00. Ref: Kevin Friend
Yoan Gouffran is available for Alan Pardew and Mathieu Debuchy while Cheick Tiote are doubtful (both hamstring). Fulham will miss Steve Sidwell in the midfield (suspended) as well as Ashkan Dejagah and striker Mladen Petric.
The Magpies will be glad to be back at St James’ – Only Reading have a worse away record than Newcastle this season. 25 of Newcastle’s 33 points have been picked up at home and the Magpies have won only once in 16 games away from St. James’ Park. If they win this, it’ll be 4 straight home wins.
For Fulham, Dimitar Berbatov is on top form, having provided 8 of Fulham’s 13 shots on target in their last four Premier League games (against Stoke, Sunderland, Spurs and QPR) and scoring in every one of them. The Cottagers have won 5 of their last 7 Premier League games against the Magpies and have only lost once in their last 5 away games.
Given Newcastle’s league table position (just 3 points above the relegation places), they should come out hungrier than Fulham (39 points and in 10th position) who do not have as much to play for this season now. Or will fresher Fulham have too much for their Europa League travelling opponents – after all, Tottenham recently came undone at White Hart Lane in similar circumstances against the men from Craven Cottage.
Prediction: Newcastle 2 Fulham 1Betting odds on full time result: Newcastle win 2.05, Draw 3.40 Fulham win 3.60 See our review of the best betting sites and apps including free bets on signup. Probable line-ups: Newcastle (4-4-2): Elliot, Simpson, Yanga-M’Biwa, S Taylor, Cabaye, Sissoko, Anita, Gutierrez, Obertan, Cisse, Gouffran. Fulham (4-2-3-1): Schwarzer, Riether, Senderos, Hangeland, Riise, Frimpong, Karagounis, Duff, Ruiz, Emanuelson, Berbatov.