Premier League - Newcastle back in bottom three

Eurosport - Sat, 16 May 18:45:00 2009

Newcastle United dropped back into the Premier League relegation zone after losing 1-0 to Fulham at St James' Park.

FOOTBALL Newcastle United's Steven Taylor stands dejected as Fulham's Diomansy Kamara celebrates his goal with team mates Premier League 2009 - 0

Upon taking the job as temporary manager, Alan Shearer earmarked Newcastle's final three home games as must-wins if they were to escape from the drop, but Diomansy Kamara's first-half winner means the Magpies travel to Aston Villa on the final day with their fate now out of their own hands.

That's because Hull City's 1-1 draw at Bolton Wanderers puts the Tigers on 35 points, one point above Newcastle and in 17th place ahead of the visit of newly-crowned champions Manchester United.

For Fulham's part, they now need just a draw from their final game at home to FA Cup-finalists Everton to qualify for the Europa League next season, barring a high-scoring Tottenham win at Anfield next weekend.

With five minutes of the first-half to play on Tyneside, Fulham captain Danny Murphy skipped a challenge in midfield and played the ball into the path of Erik Nevland. The Norwegian striker burst into the box and squared a pass to Kamara, and the Senegalese had enough time to take a touch before firing into the roof of the net to bag his third goal in two games.

If Kamara's goal stuck the knife into struggling Newcastle, then he gave it an extra twist when his pace and strength forced last man Sebastien Bassong to haul him down as the two both chased a long ball. Referee Howard Webb did not hesitate in rightfully sending Bassong off, leaving Newcastle down to 10 men for the final half-hour.

Fulham's slick counter-attack with half-time approaching was punishment for Newcastle failing to capitalise on their early dominance.

Alan Shearer's side, missing captain Michael Owen after the striker picked up a groin injury on Friday, started with Obafemi Martins partnering Mark Viduka up front.

The home side were determined to take the game to their visitors, who seemed content to contain and hit their opponents on the break.

Newcastle could not create the number of chances that their dominance deserved, however. Their only clear chance fell to Martins when he latched on to a pass from Kevin Nolan down the right but his first-time shot crashed off the outside of the near post.

Newcastle rallied somewhat following the goal with Jonas Gutierrez, a source of much of his side's good play, having two shots blocked.

Shortly after the break, Martins fired a half-volleyed shot just wide of the target.

That signalled Newcastle's intent and Viduka beat Mark Schwarzer to a cross only to see his header cleared off the line by Dickson Etuhu.

From the subsequent corner, Viduka again met the ball with his head, this time guiding it into the back of the net, only for Webb to rule the goal out for Nolan's obstruction of the visiting keeper.

Even after the sending off, Newcastle still created the better chances but former Middlesbrough keeper Schwarzer twice denied them.

The Australian goalie first smothered a Martins shot after the Nigerian had dribbled past Aaron Hughes, before he pulled off a terrific reaction save from Nicky Butt's close range effort in stoppage time.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

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  1. pianomusiclive
    you obviously never read any of my­ posts; i am the most humble guy around.
    I congratulated­ manchester united fans on their club winning the­ league, i often say how i hope sunderland stay up with­ Newcastle.
    Not my fault if you are too biased, bigoted­ and closed minded to even notice!

    From cameron w, on Wed 20 May 4:40AM

  2. Newcastle need to go down.Only then can they­ rebuild.Get rid of all those so-called superstars who­ week in week out done absolutley nothing except pick up­ their wages.Shearer is not good enough to take­ Newcastle back up again.What the f**k is Ian Dowie­ doing at Newcastle he is s**t

    From sarah.bond08, on Mon 18 May 8:21PM

  3. Seems like I hit a few raw nerves with the glory­ supporters. The club is currently being badly run, true­ enough but I was here before Ashley came and I will be­ there after him. There are still a lot of excellent­ people involved with NUFC and relegation or not I will­ support them. The 2 people you seem to spend most of­ your time talking about who are linked to Newcastle are­ Barton and Allardyce. The common vibes seem to be NUFC­ fans deserve all they get because a) Barton plays­ (occasionally) for us and b) we called for Fat­ Sam's head. Have you forgotten that Fat Sam bought­ Barton for us and will probably try and sign him on a­ cut price deal in the Summer? Will all this hatred then­ be turned on Blackburn? Hmmm thought not.

    From Bob R, on Mon 18 May 7:15PM

  4. will the newcy stadium be full next season i wonder,or­ will the decent citizens boycott this heap of (rubbish.

    From pianomusiclive, on Mon 18 May 1:09PM

  5. hey bob r,
    you dont have any choice do you,you mean to­ tell me that after the debacle of this season,you will­ continue to throw your money at mr ashley and co,and­ useless players,support barton,support this mind­ blowing regime,you are a glutton for punishment.theres­ that old saying "love is blind",but i­ understand you dont have anywhere else to go,no doubt­ you will support newcy,even when a player commits some­ foul deed.I congratulate you,you are indeed a true­ newcy supporter.

    From pianomusiclive, on Mon 18 May 12:52PM

  6. hey cameron,
    you delight in other teams­ misfortunes,your ref going down,safc,relegated.
    there­ was a glimmer of hope that at least one newcy fan could­ show humility,I guess that was too much to expect.your­ tirrade exposes you for what you are.

    From pianomusiclive, on Mon 18 May 12:38PM

  7. Face the facts, you are in the position you deserve to­ be in, appalling football all season. You may find it­ very tough to get out of the championship, in fact the­ way you are playing you could remain there for a few­ season.

    From , on Mon 18 May 8:57AM

  8. Bob R that is all nufc have, local fans lots of em from­ a one club city We can write what we want because your­ club is pathetic in everybodys eyes except the­ geordies. every club has passion.Your arrogance is­ baffling,geordie fans i know are hoping not only boro­ drop but sunderland will go with them, wake up and­ smell the championship you sad geordie @#$%.

    From jonandsally1, on Mon 18 May 2:23AM

  9. ather m. Some decent comments and respect to you. Far­ better than most of the pathetic tools coming on here­ to have a pop. Stay up or, more likely now go down, we­ need a clear out. When Sir Bob was running the show he­ signed young players with PACE. The whole team is­ pedestrian at best these days, with only Martins having­ any speed and he simply does not possess a football­ brain. Next season, wherever we are, we need to get­ some young, quick players in who are capable of beating­ a man and start rebuilding. Tough times ahead but the­ prats who come on here and write at best "going­ down tee hee" do you really think we are going to­ stop supporting the club? Grow up and get yourselves­ down to support your local team rather than­ "supporting" one of the big 4 from afar. You­ might discover some self respect.

    From Bob R, on Mon 18 May 2:13AM

  10. Roger H well said geordie scum going down

    From jonandsally1, on Mon 18 May 1:56AM

  11. As a Man U fan, from Manchester, i have to say that it­ would be a great loss to lose Newcastle to the­ Championship, so i hope we thrash Hull and you find­ ways of overcoming a stron Villa side, as even a­ 'weakened' Man U team would have a point to­ prove to Sir Alex. I feel that the responsibility lies­ on your own doorstep, and if relegated i hope you come­ back, possibly another year of struggling in the prem­ may do worse for your team than a spell in the­ championship. I don't think Alan Shearer is the­ answer for your team, more than likely some new­ signings, and a clean out of certain players is­ necessary. True you are one of the biggest clubs in the­ premiership, however i feel your targets have been­ overly ambitious in the past and may have disillusioned­ some of your players. The problem is not the great­ managers that have graced your club in the last year,­ but the detritous of players you carry.
    Anyways magpies­ or barcodes as you are so affectionately known, best of­ luck and whatever happens... que sera ...

    From ather m, on Mon 18 May 1:52AM

  12. UP THE VILLA!Theres not anything of great significance­ for us next week,but I hope we play out of our skins­ and send you down.You and the media have whined on for­ too long about being such a big club,we are no Man Utd­ but theres is not enough room here to list everything­ we have won in the last 40 years to your nothing.I will­ be staying on at the end of the game not only to see­ our lads making their traditonal end of season lap of­ honour,but to have a good laugh at distraught pot­ bellied geordie idiots slumped in their seats and­ contemplating the championship.I can think of no other­ club that is such a joke in the way it is run,that has­ such an over inflated opinion of itself,and is going to­ deservedly get whats its got coming because all its­ decisions have been based on blind emotion.Your club is­ everything we are not,and I have come to hate you­ almost as much as London clubs.COME ON VILLA!!!!

    From roger h, on Mon 18 May 1:37AM

  13. villa. villa. villa

    2-1 to villa

    bye bye Newcastle

    From sam.andrews91, on Mon 18 May 1:24AM

  14. Brian m ..you cant spell your own team , go to school­ you ****

    From AHAMPSHIRELAD, on Sun 17 May 11:17PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    NEWCASTLE FANS SHOULD HAVE BACKED BIG SAM. NEWCASTLE­ FANS ARE TO BLAME. KARMA (CHAMELEON!)

    From ghettovest, on Sun 17 May 9:12PM

  16. sunderlands new song....Love your sister love your­ mother i bet your uncle is your brother Lol

    From geoffp, on Sun 17 May 8:51PM
  17. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Chelsea turds, has that tw at JT stopped crying yet,­ har har har har har

    From Colin H, on Sun 17 May 7:52PM

  18. DOON TOON, that is quite funny, i shall try to post­ some comments with my usual well balanced, impartial,­ intelligent and sometimes witty [all this a bit like­ myself] style.

    From Colin H, on Sun 17 May 7:50PM
  19. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    179

    CAMAROOOOOON STUPID PERSON IF WE BEAT POMPEY ON­ MONDAY YOU CAN BEAT VILLA 10 NIL STUPID WE ARE SAFE AND­ WHO IS TO SAY WE WONT BEAT CHELSKI YOU­ MONG.........

    TONY K HE IS GAY GO PLAY IN THE HAY MAKE­ MY DAY STAY AWAY

    YOU TWO SHOULD BE AN­ ACT............. DUMB AND DUMBER THICK SCUMMY @#$%S

    From Ian, on Sun 17 May 7:37PM

  20. cameron mate please keep making these predictions­ i'm making a fortune by backing the opposite of­ what u say.maybe u should say villa to win and hull to­ beat united(only joking)

    From heslop448, on Sun 17 May 7:36PM
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