Preview

Newcastle: Eddie Howe's Magpies have made an outstanding start to the season, picking up 10 points from four games. Despite some question marks over the quality of their performances, the team has shown mental resilience, coming back from behind twice during the games. Expected goals (xG) and goals conceded (xGA) show that Newcastle are not as confident as their results might suggest, but so far the results speak for themselves. It is also important to note the fixture list - most of the games have been against teams that did not finish in the top 10 last season, which reduces the significance of their success in the eyes of critics.

Fulham: The London team have made a good start to the season, picking up 5 points, but they clearly lack consistency throughout the match. The Cottagers regularly drop points in the dying minutes, as they did against West Ham and Manchester United. The problem with finishing also remains a key issue - although Fulham have a lot of shots, the quality of those shots leaves much to be desired. The team is sixth in the number of attempts, but only fifteenth in the quality of chances created.

Prediction: Despite Fulham playing at home, Newcastle look like the more confident favourites in this encounter. The Magpies have enough attacking potential and the ability to come back, which could be a decisive factor against an inconsistent Fulham.