‘Underperformed’ - Fulham goalkeeper makes Newcastle United admission ahead of Craven Cottage clash
Bernd Leno believes Newcastle United have ‘underperformed’ this season ahead of the clash at Craven Cottage.
Eddie Howe’s side currently sit in 10th place having taken eight points from their opening seven Premier League games.
On Saturday, they face a Fulham side sat four spots and three points ahead of them in the table after a good start to life back in the top-flight for Marco Silva’s side.
Newcastle go into Saturday’s game having just one league win against their name, coming back on opening day against Nottingham Forest.
Despite tasting defeat just once since that match, Leno believes that the Magpies are under ‘pressure’ to win games and that they will find it tough on Saturday against a ‘strong’ Fulham side.
Leno told the club website: “I think it’s a big game. Newcastle have a very good team but I think they’ve underperformed a little bit.
“They had a big game against Liverpool but conceded a [winning] goal at the end, two weeks ago they played against Bournemouth and unfortunately got just one point.
“They have a little bit of pressure to win some games, and I think at Craven Cottage we showed everyone how strong we are, what kind of football we play.
“I think they respect our game and it will be very tough for us, for them as well, so I think it’s going to be a 50-50 game.”
Newcastle have won on both of their previous visits to Craven Cottage by an aggregate scoreline of 6-0 and haven’t tasted defeat to Fulham since their 3-1 reverse at St James’s Park in March 2017.