Newcastle United: Notable takeaways from Fulham thrashing

Newcastle United are not messing around this season as they continue to fight for European football. That dream was kept alive with their dominant performance against Fulham in London yesterday.

Newcastle United dominated their match against Fulham as Callum Wilson, Sean Longstaff, and Miguel Almiron fired four goals to secure three important points. The Magpies certainly looked like a team that only has one defeat on their record this season, but more importantly they did not look like a team that only celebrated one victory before Saturday.

Eddie Howe sparked some panic on Twitter when fans saw that Allan Saint-Maximin did not make the squad, and that the duo of Joelinton and Matt Targett were left on the bench. Despite making those difficult decisions, Howe got the best out of his selected lineup as they dominated the affair on both ends.

Looking at the score line, we all know Newcastle United played well as a collective unit to earn that impressive result, but what specific details and observations stand out from yesterday’s performance? Let’s take a look.

Newcastle United have Miguel Almiron to thank for their comfortable victory against Fulham.

1. It was the Miguel Almiron show in London

A fan favorite because of his unwavering work ethic on the wing, Almiron finally got off the mark with two brilliant goals, one of which will certainly be nominated for Goal of the Month. Newcastle United did well to take an early lead shortly after Fulham went down to ten men, but it was the Paraguayan’s first goal that gave the Toon a two-goal cushion.

Having a two-goal lead took the pressure off Newcastle United and generated confidence to continue striking the iron while it was hot. The winger’s second goal was the icing on the cake for the club and the fans. It showed that this team can effectively spread the ball around, and it reminded us that Almiron can be a frequent threat in front of goal.

2. Guimaraes and Willock

It was unclear if Bruno Guimaraes would start for Newcastle United after picking up an injury with Brazil, but not only did he start, he was an influential figure in the middle of the park. Aside from one miscommunication on a long ball, Guimaraes pulled the strings with accurate passes, sent the ball out wide to spread the defense, and claimed a beautiful lob assist to Almiron in the first half.

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Like Guimaraes, Joe Willock caused several problems for the opposition. In my predicted lineup article a few days ago, I actually picked Willock to be dropped after a poor shift against Bournemouth, but he covered a lot of ground and was involved in many meaningful attacks. His assist to Wilson is what set the tone for Newcastle United in London.

3. Quick Feet, Quick Passes

Much like the game against Bournemouth, Fulham had no choice but to defend in large numbers, especially since they were down a man so early on. The difference, however, was how Newcastle United coped with that challenge. Everyone was on the same page as no player possessed the ball longer than two or three seconds.

Yes, the Magpies had a bit more space to work with as a result of Fulham’s red card, but that does not take away from how well they moved the ball around in midfield and in the final third. The awareness of when to make a safe pass, when to play a through ball, and when to deliver balls in the box was standard-setting for the rest of the season.