JOHNGIBSON

MAGPIES MUST ENSURE THEIR FORMER HITMAN IS KEPT QUIET IN KEY MATCH

LET us forget what has gone before on home turf – a horrendous seven Premier League spankings from only nine matches.

Instead, may those who perform in black-and-white for the most passionate of fans recall back-to-back victories over Watford and Bournemouth.

Both the vanquished were snugly situated in the top half of the table and bang in form, not rock-bottom and in need of an urgent blood transfusion like Fulham.

Yes the Cottagers ought to be thumped. That must be remembered and acted upon with gusto.

The way to do it has already been established. The same way as the Cherries were picked off.

United’s home record is a terrible wrong which must and can be righted.Yet for their sterling efforts on the road Newcastle would already be doomed.

Consider these startling facts if you will: they have gathered more points away (10 compared to six at home), suffered the most defeats on their own patch of all 20 top-flight sides (seven), yet boast the least losses away of any side bar Manchester City.

How’s that for an upside-down world?

Still, despite all, Fulham are seven points worse off and that is a gap as big as the Grand Canyon.

Fulham’s honeymoon period upon the appointment of a oncejovial Claudio Ranieri lasted all of one match when they managed to defeat Southampton.

Since they have taken a single point from a possible 12.

Keeping this bunch up might prove almost as difficult for Ranieri as winning the title with Leicester City!

It has to become even tougher after five o’clock Saturday tea time.

Certainly Fulham arrive as the most generous of visitors. Their away record shows eight defeats and one draw in nine outings, during which they have conceded a whopping 24 goals. Just the sort of opposition dodgy home performers require to improve their record.

Sure, the risk is an old

... centre-forwards are only as good as the service they receive and United must remember that