Preview: Fulham vs Newcastle

Fulham need to get more points on the board as they have managed just 1 point in 12. Newcastle are equally as bad at the moment, with 5 points from 18. Fulham and Newcastle will both be desperate as Sam Allardyce's future still hangs in the balance.

Injuries and Suspensions

Defender Moritz Volz and midfielders Alexei Smertin and Jimmy Bullard, who all are back in training, are not available to manager Lawrie Sanchez as yet.

While Phillipe Christanval, Lee Cook, Brian McBride are all nursing knee injuries; Kasey Kellar (bicep) and Ian Pearce (calf) are still out.

Toon boss Sam Allardyce could bring back defender Claudio Cacapa after his hamstring problem, but Stephen Carr (hamstring) and Peter Ramage (knee) are out.

The long-term absentees are Michael Owen (knee), Damien Duff (foot) and Abdoulaye Faye (calf).

Sanchez: we need leaders

"We need more leaders on the field, because we have a lot of international captains in the squad.

"We have a very young team, and most of the players are new to each other. They're a bit worried about upsetting their team-mates by pointing and shouting, but you do need that sometimes.

"Off the field for me, maybe I need to change the tactics slightly by bringing on people who can close the game off rather than offensive players."

Squads

Fulham (from): Niemi, Warner, Baird, Omozusi, Hughes, Stefanovic, Bocanegra, Konchesky, Davies, Davis, Murphy, Dempsey, Kamara, Kuqi, Healy, Bouazza, Leijer, Seol.

Newcastle (from): Given, Harper, Beye, Enrique, Rozehnal, Taylor, Cacapa, Edgar, Butt, Milner, Geremi, Emre, N'Zogbia, Barton, Smith, Viduka, Martins, Ameobi.

Eyefootball Premiership Predictor

Fulham 1-1 Newcastle

A bore draw at Craven Cottage is in the offing. Newcastle aren't the best on their travels, whilst Fulham might even just be delighted with a point in this one.

Goalscorer: Clint Dempsey