The FA Cup could yet be reason for some of Newcastle United’s stars to stay beyond this month.
The Magpies were the only club in the land to plant a for-sale sign on their front lawn at the start of the transfer window, and several players have since been linked with moves away.
It has had an unsettling impact on Eddie Howe’s dressing-room – the manager says the situation is ‘not ideal’ – and one or two are thought to be open to an exit, if a lucrative offer came along.
But the lure of a pot of a gold will be competing with silver after they made it to the last 16 of this competition for only the second time in 18 years. They did it without playing particularly well but, for Howe, the result was all that mattered.
He needed this to keep alive a season that has ran cold this winter, and a cup run can serve as a painkiller to the ills of their Premier League form. Their only league victory since early December was against 10-man Fulham.
Dan Burn scored Newcastle’s second goal of their 2-0 win over Fulham in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday
Sean Longstaff gave his side the lead in controversial fashion after Bruno Guimaraes handled the ball in the build-up
The FA Cup represents a chance at silverware for a Newcastle side who have had a tough campaign so far
Marco Silva’s side again played as if depleted in number, especially during a second half in which they trailed to goals from Sean Longstaff and Dan Burn but looked resigned to defeat. Given seven changes to their starting XI, perhaps that was the plan all along.
Newcastle’s team, by contrast, spoke of Howe’s determination to progress, his strongest available.
Missing was Miguel Almiron, wanted by clubs in Saudi Arabia. He was suffering from illness, said Howe. Jamaal Lascelles, courted by Besiktas, had a calf injury.
Their absence fuelled speculation among supporters, especially those hoping that one out equates to one in.
A midfielder is Howe’s wish and, on this evidence, you can see why. Before scoring their second on the hour, they had struggled with control, be that of the ball or the game. In truth, it was a poor contest.
For the first 30 minutes, the Fulham boycotters were the lucky ones. Five thousand fans stayed away in protest at ticket prices starting at £40. Those who had paid were hardly getting value for money, from either side.
The hosts had the better of it, just. Rodrigo Muniz managed two shots, one tipped around the post by Martin Dubravka and the other deflected wide off Sven Botman.
At the other end, Jacob Murphy fired straight at Marek Rodak when clear on goal. This was his first appearance after a three-month shoulder layoff, and it showed. High entertainment this was not.
At least Newcastle’s breakthrough on 39 minutes carried with it the drama of a VAR check. Longstaff lashed in from 14 yards after a game of pinball inside the penalty area, the last ricochet coming via the hand of team-mate Bruno Guimaraes.
Stockley Park had a good look but, correctly, determined that Guimaraes was too close to the attempted clearance to avoid contact.
Rodak was furious. Not with the alleged infringement, more so with the defenders who had danced around the ball as if it were a grenade.
They were not alone. Newcastle treated the ball as if an explosive at times in the first half and Guimaraes repeatedly found black and white shirts. The problem was, his team were playing in green.
Fulham lost Harry Wilson, who had started the game well, to a shoulder injury towards the end of the first half
Marco Silva’s side have now been knocked out of both domestic cups in a matter of days
Harry Wilson was the half’s best player and the game was worse for it when he was forced off because of injury just before the break.
Fulham never recovered and the tie was as good as over in the 61st minute when Burn thumped Newcastle’s second.
Kieran Trippier, subject of three rejected offers from Bayern Munich last week, loaded a corner from the right and Botman showed more desire than anyone to get on the end of it. His header was stopped by Rodak but Burn swept in the loose ball from two yards out.
The last time he scored in a domestic cup competition for Newcastle they made it to Wembley. That was en route to last season’s Carabao Cup final, where they lost to Manchester United.
The dream of going one better is the priority for this campaign now.
