Newcastle United vs Fulham. Premier League.
St James' Park, Newcastle.
Report and free match highlights as Callum Wilson penalty cancels out Matt Ritchie's first-half own goal; Fulham fortunes transformed by Joachim Andersen sending off for last-man challenge but point enough to lift them out of relegation zone
Sunday 20 December 2020 07:16, UK
Ten-man Fulham weathered Joachim Andersen's second-half sending off to secure a battling 1-1 draw at Newcastle.
Fulham were the better team in the first half at St. James' Park and deservedly led at the break thanks to Matt Ritchie's unfortunate own goal.
Everything changed on the hour-mark for Fulham as centre-back Andersen clipped Callum Wilson's heels, conceded a penalty and, after a VAR review, was shown a straight red card for the last-man foul.
Wilson converted his eighth goal of the season from the spot but it failed to inspire Newcastle to victory as Fulham claimed a hard-fought point that lifts them out of the relegation zone of goal difference.
Former Newcastle striker Aleksandar Mitrovic drew Karl Darlow into action inside the opening 10 seconds, and that set the tone for a dominant first-half performance from Fulham.
The visitors should have had the lead on 12 minutes, but Ademola Lookman sent a free header straight down the throat of the Newcastle goalkeeper after Andre-Frank Anguissa's inch-perfect cross found the forward unmarked in the area.
Bobby Decordova-Reid, a last-minute addition to the Fulham starting line-up after Ivan Cavaleiro was injured in the warm-up, sliced another gilt-edged chance wide just after the half-hour mark as Fulham pushed for the opening.
Fulham nearly paid for their wastefulness on 38 minutes, but goalkeeper Alphonse Areola bailed them out with a brilliant low stop to prevent Miguel Almiron drilling Newcastle in front with their only meaningful chance of the half.
The visitors took full advance of their reprieve three minutes before the break. Tosin Adarabioyo's towering header from a corner and Decordova-Reid's flick caused panic in the Newcastle area, and forced a bizarre own goal from Ritchie as the ball cannoned off his face and into his own net.
Newcastle introduced Isaac Hayden at the break and immediately saw more of the ball in the second period. Fulham managed to keep the hosts at bay, with a fine challenge from Andersen preventing Joelinton from levelling on 58 minutes after he latched onto DeAndre Yedlin's through pass, but that completely changed on the hour mark.
Wilson raced through on goal and had his heels clipped on the edge of the box by Andersen. Referee Graham Scott initially pointed straight to the spot but was instructed to consult the pitchside monitor, where the Fulham defender was adjudged to have been the last man while making no attempt to play the ball and was issued a straight red card.
Up stepped Wilson to stroke the Newcastle equaliser down the centre of the goal from 12 yards, setting up a final 24 minutes where the Magpies would have expected to use their man advantage to secure three points.
But the late Newcastle goal failed to materialise, with the impressive Areola thwarting Sean Longstaff's long-range free-kick and smothering Joelinton's shot as Fulham dug deep to secure a gutsy point on a night where they might have had three.
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce: "I think the referee made the right call. The player denied a goalscoring opportunity, he had a pull of his shirt and then clipped his heel. In that respect I think that decision was right.
"But we have to look at our decision and say we didn't do enough. We've had a difficult week, but we've still got to be better than we were, particularly in the first half. We struggled with the ball, even when Fulham went down to 10 men, and didn't create enough. But we'll take a point and move on.
"We can perform better than we didn't. I can't fault the players' effort and honesty, but we can still improve on what we are doing. We didn't see enough tonight, or the other night."
Fulham boss Scott Parker: "I'm disappointed we didn't take three points, but the team were fantastic. I've got nothing but praise for my team. We had a couple of very good chances in the first half and could have gone in a couple of goals up at half-time.
"In the second half, the penalty decision decided the game in one sense. I've had a look at the penalty… the game has changed drastically, and not for the better. VAR was brought in to make the correct decisions.
"At real speed I can understand why he's given the penalty. But the initial contact [on Wilson] is outside the box, he then goes into the box and dives. Unless the referee has seen something completely different to me, I don't understand. The game is just a shouting match on the sidelines about decisions, it's a bit of a mess."
Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp:
"I feel Scott Parker's frustration, I think fans around the country feel his frustration. There was contact. But do I think it's harsh? Absolutely. Do I think it was a sending off? It's the law but I don't like it.
"The frustration for managers and players is that lawmakers and referees are now running the game; football used to be about fans and players. Now we talk more about referees, laws and decisions. It's not good. It's not making the game a better spectacle for fans.
"If anything it's going to make people turn away from this game. And it's still only a matter of opinion, not a matter of fact, and I don't like it. It's killing the game right now, and the fans are so frustrated with it. I'm fed up talking about VAR, but unfortunately, it's become bigger than the game.
"We love seeing great goals, moments, players running over to celebrate, now they're running over to see if it's a goal or not. That's one of the most beautiful things in the world, scoring a goal, and now they're not sure if they can celebrate it."
The centre-back had a hand in Fulham's opener and marshalled the defence as Newcastle were restricted to fleeting sights of the visiting goal in the first half.
But Adarabioyo's organisation and composure really came to the fore in the second half as he inspired Fulham to a solid final 24 minutes with 10 men that secure a deserved point.
Newcastle travel to Brentford in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday at 5.30pm - live on Sky Sports Football - before visiting Manchester City in the Premier League on Boxing Day at 8pm.
Fulham host Southampton in the Premier League on Boxing Day at 3pm - live on Sky Sports Premier League.
