Fulham v Newcastle: Cottagers most likely winners but goals is the bet

10Dec 2012

Premier League

Mike Norman sees this as a clash between two relatively out-of-form sides, but goals are always scored at the Cottage and our man expects it to be no different this time...

Fulham v Newcastle

Live on Sky Sports 1, Monday 20:00

 

Recent form and Team News

 

Fulham welcome Newcastle to Craven Cottage on Monday night for a game between two club that have suffered some indifferent results of late; in fact it's hard to believe,  given the number of goals that they've scored, that the home side have won just four league games this season.

 

But that's the reality. Martin Jol's men are on a run of no wins in seven and just one win in 10. If ever a team can sneak under the radar for falling out of form then Fulham are  most definitely that side. Very little has been said about their current poor form, and that's partly down to the fact that they have drawn more than they have lost in the last  nine games and still sit mid-table.

 

Newcastle's win-draw-loss record is identical to Fulham after 15 games (won four, drew five, lost six) and they themselves have been pretty poor of late, winning just two of  their last 10, including being flattered somewhat in their 3-0 home victory over Wigan last Monday.

 

Alan Pardew's men are a shadow of the side that they were last season and that has to be put down to a long injury list that has seen the likes of Fabricio Coloccini, Steven  Taylor, Yohan Cabaye, Hatem Ben Arfa and Cheick Tiote sidelined for long spells. Only Taylor and Cabaye are definitely ruled out of Monday's trip to the Cottage.

 

Jol can welcome back his captain Brede Hangeland now that the Norwegian has completed his three-match suspension, but striker Bryan Ruiz is ruled out for another  month or so with a hamstring injury.

 

Match Odds

 

Fulham started the season in excellent form at Craven Cottage, scoring for fun and proving a difficult side to beat. They can be excused their last two defeats in front of their  home fans as Hangeland was dismissed early on against Sunderland, and the influential defender missed the home loss to a very good Tottenham side last time.

 

Opta point out that Fulham - available to back at 2.02 - have an excellent recent record against Newcastle (4.1), winning their last three at the Cottage against  the north east outfit. And with Pardew's men still far from at full strength, and with no wins on the road this term, the tentative vote goes to Fulham.

 

Over/Under 2.5 Goals

 

It's never a surprise to see goals scored at the home of Fulham; an average of over three per game have been scored there this season, and six of the seven league games  staged at the Cottage have paid out on Over 2.5 Goals - which is available to back at 1.88 this time. In total, 11 of Fulham's 15 league games this term have gone  over 2.5 goals.

 

On the flip side, games involving Newcastle haven't been so free-scoring, though 'overs' has paid out more times than it hasn't (eight to seven), and three of their last four  have gone that way. Like Fulham, Newcastle are certainly capable of getting on the scoresheet and that makes Over 2.5 Goals a confident selection.

 

First Goalscorer

 

So many Opta stats involve Newcastle striker Demba Ba. He is the club's first player to get 10 goals in consecutive seasons since Alan Shearer almost a decade ago. Ba  has also scored three braces this term, and only Spurs striker Jermain Defoe can match this.

 

If Newcastle do line up strong, with the likes of Coloccini, Tiote, and Ben Arfa all playing, then Ba is the logical choice to score first at around 9.0.

 

Recommended Bets:

Back Over 2.5 Goals @ 1.88

Back Fulham to win @ 2.02

 

Bet HERE !

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Keywords: Fulham, Newcastle

Source: Betfair

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