Paul Merson has handed out some harsh criticism as part of his prediction for Newcastle United vs Fulham on Saturday.
It is a must-win game for Newcastle United, who are yet to really get going in the Premier League. They have picked up just nine points from their opening eight games, leaving them in 14th position.
It has been a different story in Europe, with Eddie Howe’s side enjoying a strong start to their Champions League campaign. Newcastle United beat Benfica on Tuesday night, making it back-to-back European triumphs after the narrow loss to Barcelona.
Now it is back to domestic commitments, as Newcastle United take on a Fulham side that are also yet to truly hit their stride. They are one point and one position below the Magpies heading into this weekend’s game at St James’ Park.
Bruno Guimaraes fouls Sasa Lukic during Newcastle United vs Fulham.
Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Paul Merson thinks Newcastle United will beat Fulham
That gap is going to increase according to Paul Merson, who has backed Eddie Howe to be victorious over Marco Silva.
Merson has predicted Newcastle United to win in his latest Sportskeeda column, but has admitted that he is surprised by how poorly the Magpies are doing.
“I can’t believe where Newcastle are in the league table,” he said.
“I thought they were going to be top six at this stage, but they are 14th instead! But even their next opponents Fulham have underperformed so far this season. I’m not sure underperformed is the right word though, because there were games where Fulham deserved more in my opinion, but at least in terms of results, it has not gone according to plan at all.
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“When Newcastle play with energy, close teams down quickly and press high up the pitch, they are a great team. But as soon as the energy drops and they get tired, it’s a huge struggle for them.
“I have a feeling they will move up the table soon though. Newcastle have a good team, the midfield is great and with Anthony Gordon and Nick Woltemade hitting form, they can soon go on a roll, winning three-four games on the spin! I’m not worried about them at all.
“Fulham did well against Arsenal. But that defeat was their third straight loss in the Premier League. Unfortunately for them, I expect that run to continue this weekend as well. Fulham have Wycombe coming up in the fourth round of the EFL Cup next week and I think they will have one eye on that game. Marco Silva’s team should look to have a real go at enjoying a deep cup run.”
Merson’s prediction: Newcastle United 3 Fulham 1.
Newcastle United’s Premier League points tally does not tell the whole story
In a perfect world, Newcastle United would be higher up the league table. Howe will believe they should be, having seen his side pick up just two league wins so far.
While the Magpies should be higher than 14th, Merson’s expectation that they would already be in the top six feels massively wide of the mark.
It must be remembered that the fixture list has not been kind to Newcastle. They have already taken on Liverpool and Arsenal, while there has also been an incredibly tough away day at high-flying Bournemouth. Throw in bogey side Brighton at the Amex Stadium and it really has been a challenging start to the season.
Adding to that, Newcastle began the campaign without a recognised striker due to Alexander Isak downing tools. While it could be argued that the club should have handled that situation better, it is a factor that should be taken into consideration when it comes to their start to the 2025/26 Premier League season.
But, as Merson says, there is no reason to worry about Newcastle United. They have enough quality to surge up the table, starting against Fulham on Saturday.