Fan favourite Tom Cairney’s stunner saw Fulham sign off in style with a 2-0 win over Newcastle in what may be Marco SIlva’s final game in charge.
Silva has said he will sit down with the club hierarchy next week with the Portuguese’s contract due to expire at the end of June, and Benfica said to be interested in bringing him back to his homeland to replace Jose Mourinho this summer.
Whether he remains in charge at Craven Cottage or not, he signed off for this season at least in fine style with a deserved win over a beleaguered Newcastle who looked unrecognisable from the team which dismantled West Ham seven days earlier.
Silva is not the only potential departure this summer with Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez, whose contracts are also both up next month, given late cameos by the Fulham boss.
Conversely, there was no room in Newcastle’s line-up for Anthony Gordon, who was an unused substitute for the fourth game in a row – and even overlooked for 18-year-old Sean Neave late on.
Fulham found themselves well on top throughout but in a first half lacking clear-cut chances, took advantage of the one they did fashion when the lively Kevin’s superb free-kick bounced back off the bar, and Issa Diop took advantage of some static Newcastle defending to nod home the rebound.
Eddie Howe responded at the break by changing formation and withdrawing Jacob Murphy for Harvey Barnes, but things got little better for his side.
Instead, it was the arrival of Fulham midfielder Cairney which breathed some life into a game fatigued in the searing London heat. The 35-year-old fired a warning shot wide of the far post shortly after his arrival but went one better from a corner soon after, bending in a peach of a 25-yard effort.
That ensured Fulham would end the season above their visitors and ended a three-game winless streak for the Cottagers while Newcastle dropped to 12th, their worst finish since Steve Bruce’s final season in 2020/21.
More to follow…
Story of the match in stats
What’s next?
Already thinking about the 2026/27 Premier League season?
There’s a World Cup to fit in first – follow live blogs of every game on the Sky Sports App – but the key dates are locked in for next term, when Sky Sports will once again show at least 215 live Premier League games.
Here’s your summer diary:
June 11: World Cup starts – day-by-day fixture list
June 14: Scotland’s opener vs Haiti (2am)
June 15: Summer transfer window opens
June 17: England’s opener vs Croatia (9pm)
June 19: Premier League fixtures released (10am)
July 19: World Cup final
August 22-23: Premier League opening weekend
August 27: Champions League league phase draw
September 1: Transfer Deadline Day (window closes at 11pm UK time)
September 8-10: Champions League matchday 1
May 30, 2027: Premier League final day
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: skynews.com
