Issa Diop Scores in Fulham's 2-0 Win Over Newcastle
issa diop gave Fulham the lead in a 2-0 win over Newcastle at Craven Cottage, scoring his first Premier League goal since 2022. Tom Cairney added a 25-yard effort from a corner, and the result sent Fulham above Newcastle in the final Premier League table.
Craven Cottage Turns on One Goal
Diop's first-half finish mattered because Fulham needed only one clean opening to tilt a match that Newcastle never controlled. The defender had not scored in the league since 2022, and his goal set up a result that closed Fulham's season with a sharper finish than their visitors.
Cairney's second goal removed any late doubt, and the 2-0 scoreline left Newcastle in 12th. That is their worst finish since Steve Bruce's final season in 2020/21, a drop that sits awkwardly beside the form they showed seven days earlier against West Ham.
How Howe Read the Loss
Eddie Howe did not hide from the scale of the setback. "It was a disappointing performance from us, for a whole host of reasons we weren't at the levels we needed to be."
He added: "It's a mix of everything. We weren't a big enough goal threat, we didn't defend with enough solidity and we weren't quite right. We tried to change things around numerous times in the game but it was more of a mental issue than anything else." Newcastle had Anthony Gordon as an unused substitute for the fourth game in a row, another sign of how little rhythm they carried into the match.
Silva's June Deadline
Marco Silva said he will sit down with the Fulham hierarchy next week, with his contract due to expire at the end of June. Benfica were said to be interested in bringing him back to Portugal to replace Jose Mourinho, so this result landed in a week where Fulham's coaching future is already part of the story.
Silva's view of the season was blunt: "Most of the times this season we have deserved more from some games but margins are very important in games - that's what we've missed this season." Fulham earned those margins here, and the practical takeaway for the club is simple: a final-day win over a direct rival gives Silva a stronger case before that meeting next week.
