Eddie Howe Prepares Newcastle for Final Premier League Match Against Fulham
Eddie Howe is preparing for Newcastle’s final act of the Premier League season with one eye on Fulham – and the other on Sandro Tonali’s hamstring.
The Italian midfielder limped out of last week’s win over West Ham, sparking concern that his campaign might be over. Howe, though, struck a far more optimistic tone ahead of Sunday’s trip.
“Sandro, potentially, will be available,” he said. “We will look at him again today. We don’t think it is anything serious.”
It is a timely boost. Newcastle have surged through the final stretch of the season, and Tonali’s control in midfield has been central to that improvement in their in-possession play.
Howe’s faith in Osula
If Tonali’s status is a watch-and-wait, there is no such uncertainty about the manager’s belief in Osula.
The striker hit two goals in the 3-1 victory over relegation-threatened West Ham, a performance that underlined why Howe talks about him with such enthusiasm.
“He is at a really good age,” Howe said. “Lots of things to continue to work on, there are lots of untapped areas we can develop.
“The ceiling in his development is really high. He has the raw ingredients, the physical profile too.”
Those “raw ingredients” have arrived at exactly the right time. Osula’s power and movement have given Newcastle a different edge in the final third, and his brace helped turn their last home game of the season into a send-off rather than a slog.
“It was great to win our last home game. That left us all with a great feeling. We want to end the season on a real high,” Howe added.
A season flipped on its head
Newcastle’s spring surge has altered the mood around the club. Their last defeat came against Premier League champions Arsenal in April; since then, results and performances have swung sharply in their favour.
Newcastle are moving the ball quicker, taking more risks, and looking far closer to Howe’s high-energy blueprint. The manager wants that to carry into the final whistle of the campaign.
“We hope to continue the upturn in our recent performances, upturn in our in-possession play, we want to end the season high, it is an important match for us.”
Fulham away is no dead rubber for Howe. It is a chance to lock in the sense of momentum, to reinforce the belief that this late-season version of Newcastle is the one that will report back after the summer.
Tonali’s fitness, Osula’s rise, the team’s renewed conviction in possession – all of it now funnels into one question: can Newcastle turn a strong finish into a platform for something far bigger next year?
