A red card for Fulham the game changer for poor Newcastle!
Newcastle United 1-1 Fulham
A red card for Anderson that give Wilson the chance to equalise from the spot, and opportunity he grabbed with both hands, would rescue a point for Newcastle after yet another bad day at the office for Bruce and his men.
That after the visitors had dominated from the first whistle to deservedly go in at the break 1-0 up after Ritchie diverted the ball into his own net after a Fulham corner.
Even against 10 men Bruce's side looked horrid. Another disgusting performance without intent, purpose or any fluidity. How long do Newcastle fans have to suffer this farce that Bruce calls football.
An own goal from Matt Ritchie after an Adarabioyo header, following relentless pressure and another corner for the visitors, was no more than Fulham deserved in a first half they dominated from start to finish. The ball headed back across goal from the Fulham player with Ritchie reacting in a crowded area only to steer the ball into his own goal when it was clearly going wide.
On the hour a moment that would change he course of the game. With Fulham looking to extend their lead from yet another corner the ball would break to first Almiron, who would race over the half way line, before feeding Wilson who would be pulled to the floor in the Fulham area. A red card and a penalty, converted of course by Wilson later, and United were level.
With the pressure ramping up on Steve Bruce and his men following a dismal display at Leeds during the week, the Magpies had an early chance to put things right at home against struggling Fulham at St James Park.
Bruce would shake things up a little for this one with Hendrick, Lewis, Fraser and Murphy dropped from the first team whilst Almiron and Shelvey would the the most notable of those returning to the side in taking responsibility to attempt and get three much needed points for the black and whites.
Joelinton would also get the chance to build on his recent good form as he continued up front with Wilson in what looked like a strong lineup for this one.
But it would be Fulham who would start the brighter of the two sides with United seemingly happy to let Fulham have the ball and dictate play early on. The first real sight of goal would come for the home side however, with Wilson doing well to get a header on target from 8 yards out when under pressure but his looping header we easily parried and gathered by Areola in the Fulham goal.
Fulham would then have a good shot from Cairney blocked inside the Newcastle area by Shelvey with the ball deflected behind for a corner. The intervention from the Newcastle midfielder very much needed with the shot looking almost certainly on target and one that Darlow certainly wouldn't have fancied his chances of stopping.
The visitors would go close a number of times in the first 30 mins, a header just wide from a corner and a half shout for a penalty after Lookman went down far too easily under a half challenge from Yedlin. The best change for those playing in yellow in that opening spell would come when Cordova-Reid would only manage to stretch and knock the ball wide when played through on the right. Dummett, back in the team to the surprise of many, looking rusty in allowing his man to steal in at the far post before the Fulham man fluffed is lines.
Just before the break Fulham would get the lead they deserved.
After dominating the first half and forcing a succession of set pieces, the goal would come from a bit of luck that their lack of quality in front of goal was just not delivering. A corner from the attacking left would clear everyone and be forced back across goal from Adarabioyo. With the ball clearly going wide but passing through group of players it would be the unlucky Ritchie who would send the ball into his own net. Unlucky for the United player, no unlucky for United.
Shocking once more from Bruce's men who went in at half time with a little over 30% of possession, at home, against a newly promoted, relegation threatened side.
Into the second half and it was more of the same. An enforced change aside meaning Hayden would have to drop into the back two pairing with Fernandez withdrawn through injury.
Fulham were sitting deeper now, with plenty of men behind the ball, but still showing real purpose when moving forward.
On 60 minutes a huge moment in the game as Almiron would race clear before feeding Wilson who raced into the box before being felled by Anderson. After first checking if the foul was inside the area the referee was then told to review at the VAR screen to check if any attempt was made for the ball. The answer, as far as the referee was concerned, was no. The result a red for Anderson.
The result, from the spot, as you'd expect from an in form Wilson was GOAL. And just like that, entirely undeserved, Newcastle were right back in it.
Newcastle now at least looked like a Premier League side. One playing away from home against a really good team.
If you'd just turned on the TV you wouldn't have thought United were a man better off. Not shot on target from that point pretty much to be expected as even with a defender withdrawn and Fraser entering the fray there would be nothing in terms of threat in front of goal for the Magpies.
Just awful. What's the point?!
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