Eddie Howe saw his preparations for Fulham undermined by Sandro Tonali having to be pulled from the starting eleven which had been named ahead of kick-off. Tonali injured in the warm-up.
The NUFC Head Coach later saying about Sandro Tonali: “I think that the injury was in the shooting drill. He felt his muscle.”
The midfielder joining a lengthy list deemed unavailable for a starting place, whether through injury or the fact they are set to move on this summer.
How much difference the Italy international would have made, we will never know. What we do know is that it ended up a really poor team performance and Newcastle United deserved nothing at Craven Cottage as they lost 2-0.
Eddie Howe reflecting on the season finale: “Not the way we wanted to end the season, that is for sure…a disjointed look about the team.”
The 2025/26 season ends with 25 wins for Newcastle United and 23 defeats (plus 10 draws). However, 17 of the 23 losses coming in the Premier League.
Eddie Howe commenting: “We can’t be happy with the number of defeats…we are not deluded. We know that is not good enough by the standards we have set historically….an incredible amount of work to do with the team.”
Fulham won thanks to a goal in each half, Newcastle limited to one serious effort on goal when a superb Nick Woltemade pass released Joe Willock behind the home defence but Leno saving with his leg.
Eddie Howe on what he saw across the 90+ minutes: “It was a disappointing performance from us. For a whole host of reasons we weren’t quite at the level we needed to be. There were some promising bits but by and large I think Fulham deserved to win. We weren’t a big enough goal threat in the game, I don’t think we defended with enough solidity, we weren’t quite right. We tried to change things numerous times in the game but I think it was more of a mental problem than anything else.”
Yet again Anthony Gordon didn’t get on the pitch.
Another match where Eddie Howe left him on the sidelines with a move expected very soon, Bayern Munich seemingly the destination.
Eddie Howe asked whether Anthony Gordon has played his last game for United: “I don’t know. You can never predict what is going to happen. He obviously goes to the World Cup now so we wish him well.”
As for his own future, when asked about it following the season’s end, Eddie Howe saying he is determined to lead Newcastle United into bouncing back in the Premier League next season: “My commitment has never wavered from day one to today…unity running through a football club is important from top to bottom. You need that togetherness and that plan. Whenever you have things to work on you have to absorb it. If you deflect and think it is nothing to do with us, then you never grow or improve. Reflection, analysis and learning…are all part of the growing at any football club and certainly there is a lot to take in and absorb from this season.”