Fulham closed out their Premier League season in emphatic fashion, beating Newcastle United 2-0 at Craven Cottage on Sunday in what could prove to be manager Marco Silva's last match in charge of the club.

Silva's contract expires at the end of June, and the Portuguese is expected to hold discussions with the club's hierarchy next week. Benfica are reportedly keen to bring him back to his homeland as a replacement for Jose Mourinho. Regardless of what the summer holds, Silva oversaw a polished performance against a Newcastle side that bore little resemblance to the team that dismantled West Ham just seven days prior.

Diop breaks the deadlock

The opening goal arrived from a moment of individual quality and collective sluggishness. Fulham's lively forward Andreas Pereira — credited in the match as Kevin — whipped a free-kick that rattled the crossbar, and Issa Diop reacted swiftly to head in the rebound while Newcastle's defenders stood motionless. It was Diop's first Premier League goal since 2022.

Fulham dominated the first half without carving out many clear-cut openings, but their control of the contest was evident throughout.

Cairney steals the show

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe reshuffled at half-time, switching his formation and replacing Jacob Murphy with Harvey Barnes, but the visitors failed to find a foothold in the game.

It was the introduction of Fulham captain Tom Cairney that lifted the afternoon. The 35-year-old, introduced from the bench, fired narrowly wide shortly after coming on before producing a moment of genuine class — bending a stunning 25-yard effort into the corner from a corner routine to seal the points.

The goal confirmed Fulham's finish above Newcastle in the final standings and ended a three-match winless run for the Cottagers. Newcastle, meanwhile, dropped to 12th — their worst league finish since Steve Bruce's final campaign in the 2020/21 season.

Farewells and absences

Silva used the occasion to hand late appearances to Harry Wilson and Raul Jimenez, both of whom are out of contract next month. On the Newcastle side, Anthony Gordon was left as an unused substitute for the fourth successive match, with 18-year-old Sean Neave preferred ahead of him late in the game.

The result brought a curtain down on the domestic season, with attention now turning to the FIFA World Cup 2026, which kicks off on June 11.