Fulham manager Slavisa Jokanovic doesn’t expect tomorrow’s game at Newcastle United at St James’ Park will be at all similar to the first meeting between the pair earlier in the season.
The Cottagers won the opening day fixture against the Magpies through a second half Matt Smith goal, but Jokanovic told Fulham’s official website, plenty of water has passed under the bridge since then:
“It was the beginning of the Championship. After that game we played many games, and in that moment of the competition no-one knew who was who, and we’ve gone and surprised them a little bit. It was a good night for ourselves but this was many months ago and now it’s a different situation, a different moment in the competition and now we must be ready for what is here in front of us.”
Jokanovic’s side sit just outside the playoff places, five points off sixth placed Sheffield Wednesday with a game in hand. They are unbeaten in their last six matches, with four wins and two draws.
Newcastle meanwhile head into the match on an eleven match unbeaten run, and Rafa Benitez’s side will be looking to keep their advantage over the chasing pack when they face Fulham. The Magpies will be hoping to keep up their good form after getting seven points from a possible nine against their promotion rivals in recent fixtures.
