'I feel sorry': Chris Sutton predicts who will win the FA Cup tie between Fulham and Newcastle

Newcastle United get a break from the rumours around selling their top players as they have an actual football match to contend with on Saturday.

It's FA Cup weekend and Newcastle's prize for knocking out local rivals Sunderland in the last round is a trip to London to face fellow Premier League side, Fulham on Saturday night with a 7pm kick-off - thanks, TV Overlords.

The Magpies go into this game off the back of a two-week break that has been anything but relaxing with players cutting short their holidays as they become the focus of potential January moves.

Can Newcastle block out the January noise to go on and get a result?

So far, no first-team players have left so there should be no fresh gaping holes in the squad when we face Fulham.

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The Cottagers were in action last night forcing a 1-1 draw with Liverpool in the Carabao Cup with the Reds going through on aggregate.

Newcastle should be the fresher side, then, but Chris Sutton doesn't think that will matter as he backed the home side in his BBC Prediction.

"What on earth is happening at Newcastle? I keep reading reports that they are about to sell half their team.

"I feel sorry for Magpies boss Eddie Howe because of the uncertainty over the future of some of his key players, but I don't see things going well for him at Craven Cottage either.

"Fulham are the kind of team who can turn it on at times, and they are going to throw everything they've got at Newcastle.

"Sutton's prediction: 2-1"

Newcastle should be raring to go

After a couple of weeks R&R, surely we've recovered enough energy to beat the likes of Fulham, even if it is on their turf.

Fatigue has been our biggest killer beyond the actual injuries. We've lacked any real energy beyond the 70-minute mark and with no options on the bench that's what has been costing us games.

Beating Fulham would be the ideal way to kick-start a decent run for the back end of the season.