Newcastle United come into the game with Fulham off the back of three straight defeats and Eddie Howe is hoping to use his not-so-secret weapon.
We've been here before. Three straight defeats then facing a London club at home. That was at the start of the season and the Londoners in question that day were Brentford and Newcastle needed a Callum Wilson penalty to win that one, but the point is, we won.
Fulham will be absolutely brimming with confidence after scoring 10 goals in their last two games winning both 5-0. They'll probably be feeling extra saucy knowing that they're coming up against Martin Dubravka who has leaked seven goals in three games since coming in for the injured Nick Pope.
There's a lot going against us coming into this one so it's little surprise that Eddie Howe has called on the fans' help.
In a way it does feel slightly insulting when the manager asks the fans to get behind the team - like they weren't going to anyway - but we get it. In this instance, we're talking about a severely fatigued side coming off the back of a devastating Champions League exit and three consecutive defeats.
Howe knows he will get the support of the Toon Army, but it doesn't hurt to issue a rallying cry - unless maybe you're autistic like me and take exception to being told to do something you were going to do anyway and therefore don't do it. What was I talking about again?
Eddie Howe issued his plea when speaking to the media in the pre-match press briefing. (Via The Chronicle).
"I would encourage the supporters to make the environment as best as they can for the players. We need the players playing with absolute freedom, with excitement, with joy – all that we have seen at St. James’ Park over my two years here. Their support has been absolutely incredible. I understand how they will be feeling but we need to inspire them tomorrow."
We know you were going to do it anyway, but let's make sure that Fulham don't know what hit them tomorrow. Make St James' Park shake to its foundations with the roar of the Toon Army and carry the lads to victory!
PL | GD | PTS | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
Liverpool
|
14 | 18 | 35 |
2 |
Chelsea
|
15 | 17 | 31 |
3 |
Arsenal
|
15 | 14 | 29 |
4 |
Manchester City
|
15 | 6 | 27 |
5 |
Nottingham Forest
|
15 | 1 | 25 |
6 |
Aston Villa
|
15 | 0 | 25 |
7 |
Brighton
|
15 | 3 | 24 |
8 |
Bournemouth
|
15 | 3 | 24 |
9 |
Brentford
|
15 | 3 | 23 |
10 |
Fulham
|
15 | 2 | 23 |
11 |
Tottenham Hotspur
|
15 | 12 | 20 |
12 |
Newcastle United
|
15 | -2 | 20 |
13 |
Manchester United
|
15 | 1 | 19 |
14 |
West Ham United
|
14 | -9 | 15 |
15 |
Everton
|
14 | -7 | 14 |
16 |
Leicester
|
15 | -9 | 14 |
17 |
Crystal Palace
|
15 | -6 | 13 |
18 |
Ipswich
|
15 | -13 | 9 |
19 |
Wolves
|
14 | -14 | 9 |
20 |
Southampton
|
15 | -20 | 5 |