Newcastle United rewarded the 2,300 fans who made the long journey to Craven Cottage with a convincing 4-1 away win in the capital.
This was supposed to be the costly weekend from hell but as the Magpies popped the ball around on a baking hot autumn day on the banks of the Thames, it will now end up being an away day they'll be talking about for years. With some fans overcoming Saturday's train strike and astronomical hotel prices across two nights, this victory in the sunshine will have tasted even sweeter for the Toon Army.
True, it may have been against a Fulham side that played with 10 men for 82 minutes after Nathaniel Chalobah's red card. But Newcastle made sure they took full advantage of the situation with some flowing moves and lethal finishing against the short-handed Cottagers.
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Eddie Howe had named a starting line-up that raised some eyebrows with Jacob Murphy getting a start ahead of Ryan Fraser and Matt Targett only on the bench with Dan Burn taking the left-back slot. But the decisions were more than justified as Murphy had an excellent game throughout.
Much was made about whether former Toon striker Aleksandar Mitrovic would start against his old club but the Serbia ace shook off a knock to lead the line for Fulham while another ex-United player Kevin Mbabu was in the opening XI.
Murphy set the tone before the red card and won a corner after just 80 seconds, forcing Mbabu to concede. Kieran Trippier's set-play fell for Joe Willock only for his shot to hit the back of Fabian Schar.
Newcastle should have gone ahead after five minutes when Trippier's free-kick found Dan Burn who forced Bernd Leno to fumble. The ball dropped kindly for Callum Wilson but his effort clipped the post from close range.
With seven minutes gone a late challenge from Nathaniel Chalobah on Sean Longstaff resulted in an initial yellow card. But after the VAR check, Darren England pulled a red card out of his pocket and reduced Fulham to 10 men.
That handed Newcastle the advantage and Howe's side were happy to take it, nudging ahead on 11 minutes. Willock sprayed the ball across the field to Trippier before arriving at the back post to knock the ball down for Wilson who tapped home and handed Newcastle the lead.
Wilson had another sight of goal with 27 minutes gone but curled wide with Fulham overran again. United made it 2-0 on 33 minutes after Bruno's weighted ball into the box to find Almiron who volleyed home with his left foot.
Mitrovic went off with an injury 10 minutes before the break to increase United's chances even more. Murphy struck one wide of the post from long range with 37 minutes gone but Newcastle went further ahead just before the break.
Botman's header crashed off the post and Longstaff was sharp enough to follow up and slam home to make it 3-0. And that's how it stayed as the two teams headed in for the interval with Newcastle enjoying 76% of the possession.
Fulham's luck with injuries worsened as Mbabu and Layvin Kurzawa were replaced by Tom Cairney and Issa Diop before the break. Willock got in again down the left and forced Leno to palm clear on 49 minutes after the ex-Arsenal and Murphy exchanged passes.
Four minutes later it was Murphy's turn to try his luck but he could only guide his shot straight at Leno. But was 4-0 before the hour mark as Almiron helped himself to a second. Murphy rolled the ball to Willock before he clipped the ball across the six-yard box and Almiron applied the finish on 57 minutes.
Howe started to use his squad as he introduced Elliot Anderson and Ryan Fraser for Bruno and Wilson. A rare Fulham chance on 68 minutes saw Tosin head wide for the home side as they tried to salvage something from the game.
Almiron had the ball in the net again on 69 minutes but the strike was chalked off for offside. Anderson jinked into the box two minutes later but his effort was deflected wide of the target.
Howe rotated again when he introduced Matt Targett, Jamaal Lascelles and Jamal Lewis for Burn, Schar and Trippier. The young Geordie Anderson drove his way into the box again on 83 minutes but his cross fizzed wide.
Fulham pulled one back in the 89th minute when Bobby De Cordova-Reid headed home after a right-wing cross from Neeskens Kebano. Sub Fraser clipped one over Leno after Murphy's pass but was adjudged offside and in stoppage time Longstaff fired over the top.
Although, it had been over as a contest before the half-time whistle and that's full credit to Newcastle's decision to go for the jugular from the off.
Attendance: 22,913
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