Magpies bid to extend impressive final-day record

The Magpies head to Craven Cottage this weekend (3pm kick-off) with manager Rafa Benítez boasting a 100 per cent win record from last-day fixtures as United boss.

And, since their first Premier League campaign in 1993/94, Newcastle have won nine and drawn seven of their 23 final fixtures of each top-flight season.

That tally of victories includes triumphs over Arsenal (1994), Crystal Palace (1995) and a resounding 5-0 thrashing of Nottingham Forest in May 1997.

Further last-day wins came in the shape of a 4-2 victory over Arsenal in 2000 and a 3-0 against Aston Villa a year later, while in 2006 a Titus Bramble volley earned a 1-0 win at home to Chelsea.

In more recent years, the 2-0 win over West Ham at St. James’ Park in 2015 preceded a run of three successive final-day victories under Benítez, including two in the Premier League – the memorable 5-1 rout of Tottenham Hotspur in 2016 and last year’s 3-0 success over Chelsea.

In those 23 outings, United have netted 42 times, including those five-goal hauls against Forest and Spurs and the four an Alan Shearer-inspired side bagged against the Gunners 19 years ago.

Newcastle’s last-day record against clubs from the capital is also worth noting, with the Magpies having won seven of their ten closing games when facing London-based opposition – an omen that will encourage Benítez’s charges ahead of their trip to face ex-United midfielder Scott Parker’s Fulham outfit on Sunday.

Newcastle United final-day fixture record (Premier League)

1993/94 Newcastle United 2-0 Arsenal

1994/95 Newcastle United 3-2 Crystal Palace

1995/96 Newcastle United 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur

1996/97 Newcastle United 5-0 Nottingham Forest

1997/98 Blackburn Rovers 1-0 Newcastle United

1998/99 Newcastle United 1-1 Blackburn Rovers

1999/00 Newcastle United 4-2 Arsenal

2000/01 Newcastle United 3-0 Aston Villa

2001/02 Southampton 3-1 Newcastle United

2002/03 West Bromwich Albion 2-2 Newcastle United

2003/04 Liverpool 1-1 Newcastle United