Fulham vs Newcastle preview: Scott Parker to take charge as permanent manager

Scott Parker will take charge of his first Fulham game as permanent manager as they host Newcastle on the final day of the Premier League season.

Parker was announced as they new full-time coach on Friday after taking interim charge following the departure of Claudio Ranieri, and will now have the summer to prepare for life back in the Sky Bet Championship.

In terms of the squad, Marcus Bettinelli, Lazar Markovic and Timothy Fosu-Mensah remain. The remainder of the team should be fit for selection.

Sung-Yueng Ki is out for Newcastle with a knee injury and joins DeAndre Yedlin on the sidelines, who this week underwent groin surgery.

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Miguel Almiron (hamstring), Sean Longstaff and Florian Lejeune (both knee) are long-term absentees.

Opta stats

Fulham have won eight of their last nine home league meetings with Newcastle (L1), including each of the last six in a row.

Newcastle have kept three clean sheets in their last four Premier League meetings with Fulham, winning 1-0 twice, drawing 0-0 and losing the other 0-1.

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Newcastle have won their final league game of the season in each of the last four campaigns, scoring 13 goals and conceding just one. However, all four of these games have been at St James' Park.

Fulham have won their last two Premier League home games, last winning three in a row in the competition at Craven Cottage in September 2012 under Martin Jol (a run of four).

Newcastle United have collected just five points from their last 12 Premier League matches in London (W1 D2 L9), losing each of their last four in a row; the Magpies have lost more away Premier League games in the capital than any other side (76).

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Newcastle have received more Premier League red cards in the final matches of seasons than any other side (7), with three of the last five final day red cards going to Newcastle players - Paul Dummett and Shola Ameobi in 2013-14 and current Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic in 2015-16.

Fulham have conceded just one goal in their last four Premier League games, this after a run of conceding at least twice in 13 consecutive matches.

35 per cent of Fulham's points won in the Premier League this season have come under manager Scott Parker (9/26), despite him taking charge of just nine games so far.

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Salomon Rondon has been directly involved in 45 per cent of Newcastle's 38 Premier League goals this season (10 goals, 7 assists) - only Eden Hazard (49 per cent) has had a hand in a higher share of his side's goals this season.

Only Aleksandar Mitrovic (14) has been involved in more Premier League goals for Fulham this season than Ryan Babel (5 goals, 3 assists), despite the Dutchman playing just 15 games for the club.

Merson's prediction

Fulham have shown a bit of respectability towards the end, they've had a plan at least, and Newcastle are a team who are hard to play against at the moment as we saw on Saturday night. I think both of them will have a go.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-2

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