Newcastle has missed a golden chance to proceed on their unbeaten beginning to the season, to be at the top of the league table, and bolster their growing optimism at the end of a difficult summer.
Rather, the team was left to regret an underperformed performance against a lively Fulham attack, with Raúl Jiménez, Emile Smith Rowe, and Reiss Nelson winning a home victory for his team, Fulham.
Newcastle did not relent in their belief in a win in the second half; as Harvey Barnes scored in the first minute after the restart to make it 2-1, they were yet to fully discover their rhythm.
Fulham, anxious after they took the lead against West Ham last weekend, held on until Nelson’s last-minute goal, converting a defensive error made by Bruno Guimarães into a goal.
Newcastle, arriving with an early-season narrative of points against performance, scored the first goal through Joelinton, but the goal was cancelled by the referee.
Jiménez finished off a calculated move to put Fulham in the lead moments later. Smith Rowe scored another goal soon after to continue the lead with a good finish, as Newcastle were left in need of changes.
Eddie Howe created adjustments at halftime that led to the goal by Barnes, but Fulham’s defense held strong, and the late goal from Nelson put the club in a 3-1 win.
