Newcastle beat Fulham and yet the remedy felt only partial, for it will take more than stitches to soothe the wounds of Sunday’s derby defeat at Sunderland. Maybe they will have to retain the Carabao Cup for the healing process to feel complete, such was the pain of the weekend.
Even still, it felt like a timely tonic on every level when Lewis Miley rose tallest to head home from Sandro Tonali’s corner in the second minute of stoppage-time, especially with this quarter-final just a few kicks from penalties.
After a first goal for Yoane Wissa on his full debut was cancelled out by Fulham’s Sasa Lukic inside the first 16 minutes, chances became as scarce as the nerves were plentiful. And so, after 90 minutes in which Eddie Howe’s side were better than the abject showing at the Stadium of Light without being brilliant, St James’ Park prepared for spot-kicks.
Miley, though, has not accepted such a fate and, when Tonali loaded a devilish delivery in front of the Gallowgate End, the Geordie giant stood even taller than his 6ft 4ins. It was a man’s goal when the teenager’s team and his manager needed it most.
Before that, Wissa had been the big positive for the Newcastle boss, the striker starting for the first time since his £55million arrival from Brentford in the summer. He spent autumn out injured and only now has he been seen entering winter. His energy was certainly enough to warm the soul of the locals.
Twice inside the opening 20 minutes he screamed at team-mates when they chose to pass elsewhere. He was nuisance for his own and the opposition, which is what Newcastle have missed in a post Alexander Isak existence.
Lewis Miley’s timely header provided a balm for Newcastle’s derby defeat on Sunday as they edged past Fulham
Yoane Wissa’s first full debut run-out saw him score within 10 minutes – but his effort was quickly cancelled out by the visitors
Wissa’s 10th-minute goal was about instinct – he had the nose to sniff out the chance and the nerve to finish it. Fabian Schar switched elegantly from left to right. Jacob Murphy crossed invitingly from right to left. And there, in the centre of the goal, was Wissa, snapping in when goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte fumbled his attempt to gather. A No.9 in the six-yard box are co-ordinates Newcastle have not programmed enough of late.
But just six minutes later their entire midfield lost the directions to their own penalty area, and that is why there was a queue on unmarked Fulham players waiting to equalise. As it was, Lukic beat his team-mates to Antonee Robinson’s cross and planted a header beyond Aaron Ramsdale. There might have been a home inquest, had their midfield three actually been on the scene to partake. At 1-1, it felt like a case of one step forwards and one back for Newcastle.
For this game was not really about the prospect of a return to Wembley and defending their first domestic trophy in 70 years, it was about the response. The response to a Wear-Tyne derby defeat that has festered since Sunday. The nature of the loss – two shots on target and a season-low XG of 0.26 – has caused the stench to linger. Another game so soon was both blessing and curse, and only the result would determine which.
But there was also scrutiny on the performance, of individuals and the collective. For all the excitement around Wissa, there was an expectation that the likes of Bruno Guimaraes would follow up strong words with even stronger deeds. He had labelled the loss at Sunderland both ‘embarrassing’ and ‘a mess’. The latter irked Howe, a hint of strategical shortcoming, and he threw it back on his players to do their talking on the pitch. Guimaraes, in fairness, was the noisiest of those in black and white. As they searched for a winner in the second half he was their lead vocalist.
The hosts were keen for a response after a lacklustre effort against bitter rivals Sunderland
Bruno Guimaraes was at his bullish best as Newcastle went hunting the deciding goal late on
Eddie Howe will be pleased that his players made their post-derby feelings known on the pitch
Tino Livramento went close when his low steer was snaffled by Lecomte, this time holding the ball. But it was not long before Livramento was forced off with a leg injury, leaving Howe with just two fit senior defenders heading into the festive fixtures.
The disruption soon showed and it was Fulham who looked the more likely winners as the clock ticked beyond 80 minutes. One goalmouth melee had Howe looking through his fingertips on the touchline.
But it was Marco Silva’s turn to hide behind the dugout in stoppage-time when Miley’s snap shot looked destined for the bottom corner before Lecomte flipped it around the post. Silva should have stayed there, for Miley was not to be denied and, from the resulting flag-kick, he settled the tie.
