Alan Pardew looks set to miss out on the trip to Craven Cottage after receiving a seven match ban and a £60,000 fine from the FA, which may give new boss Felix Magath the upper hand with his Fulham side in dire need of three points this weekend as they battle to move out of the relegation zone.
Team News
Fulham are waiting on Scott Parker, Damien Duff and Fernando Amorebieta; Newcastle have a host of injury concerns, and will hope their top scorer Loic Remy will be available for the visit to Craven Cottage, while Hatem Ben Arfa and Davide Santon are also possible doubts.
Interesting Statistics
Fulham have won their last four home games against Newcastle United in the Premier League.
The Magpies will be hoping Hatem Ben Arfa is fit for the trip to West London, with the French winger scoring on his last three Premier League appearances against Fulham.
Fulham have had both teams scoring in their last five matches.
Key Players –
Steve Sidwell and Cheick Tiote:
It’s tough to pick out a player who has shone in a team that has conceded a staggering 62 goals in the Premier League thus far, but their stand out player has been the ex Reading and Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell. who seems to be the only player any of the three Fulham managers have had this season to rely on.
Sidwell has made 29 appearances for Fulham, a consistent player who always gives everything for the team, not that this characteristic would console the midfielder much.
The former Chelsea midfielder has scored six goals this season in an attempt to keep his side from being dragged into the relegation zone, only for his defence to deny any possibility of staying up.
Sidwell has put in a shift defensively for Fulham this campaign, winning 78% of his tackles, making 75 interceptions; and averaging a healthy aerial and ground duel rate.
Up against Steve Sidwell in the midfield battle is Newcastle’s Cheick Tiote, the Magpies’ captain in Fabricio Coloccini’s absence, although the Argentinian may be back for the game on Saturday.
Tiote doesn’t quite match up to Sidwell in the defensive department so far this campaign, although the Ivory Coast international has played six fewer games than the Englishman.
The Newcastle midfielder has made 48 interceptions, a tackle success rate of 65% and loses out in comparison when judging the pair on aerial and ground duels.
Tiote primarily plays as a defensive midfielder, and will have to combat Sidwell’s box-to-box threat on Saturday if Newcastle are to edge Fulham out in a must win game for the Whites.
