Late Isak winner sinks Fulham after Mitrovic penalty misfortune

UNBEATEN RUN: Newcastle United's Alexander Isak (right) celebrates. Pic: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire.

Newcastle 1 Fulham 0 

Alexander Isak came off the bench to grab an 89th-minute winner for Newcastle - but that doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the drama to unfold at St James' Park.

Turf luck. A pain in the grass. However Aleksandar Mitrovic might like to reflect on it, right now it probably feels like life's a pitch.

Handed a glorious chance to break the deadlock in a tense contest from the penalty spot midway through the second-half, the former Newcastle forward duly scored, only not concede an indirect free kick and with it fritter away the opportunity after slipping as he took the kick to ensure the ball found the net courtesy of an illegal double touch.

The Serbian forward has now failed to score from three of his six penalties this season, and this one really has to be filed under the heading of you really couldn't make it up.

To rub salt into the wound, Isak nodded home the winner a minute from time after Callum Wilson lifted Sean Longstaff's centre invitingly back across the face of goal for the Swede to score his third in four appearances since a club record £60m arrival in August.

Newcastle, who posted a club record-equaling 14th top flight game unbeaten, haven't conceded a goal at home for more than three months, and with slices of luck as large as the misfortune to befall Mitrovic from 12 yards, it'll probably be another three months before they do.

They reclaimed third place at the halfway stage of their campaign after a thorough examination of their top four credentials from an impressive Fulham side. As Leeds had done here two weeks previously, the visitors frustrated Eddie Howe's side, although in mitigation they showed far greater attacking ambition than Jesse Marsch's men.

This was never more clear than when Bobby Decordova Reid was felled on the edge of the box by a clumsy challenge by Kieran Trippier. After initially waving play on, referee Robert Jones reversed his decision when consulting VAR. Mitrovic looked edgy as he waited to take the kick, little was he to know then how he would eventually fail to etch his name on the scoresheet.

Newcastle could have ended up winning more comfortably, but Fabian Schar's second-half free-kick hit the foot of a post and substitute Allan Saint-Maximin fired inches wide. Bernd Leno twice saved well to deny Wilson but was helpless to prevent Isak's dramatic late winner.

Newcastle (4-3-3): Pope 8; Trippier 7, Botman 7, Schar 7, Burn 7; Longstaff 6, Guimaraes 5 (Saint-Maximin 46, 6), Willock 6 (Isak 70, 5); Almiron 4 (Murphy 85, 5), Wilson 7 (Wood 90, 5), Joelinton 5. Booked: Pope.

Fulham (4-2-3-1): Leno 7; Tete 7, Diop 7 (Alves Morais 90, 5), Ream 7, Kurzawa 7; Palhinha 7, Reed 6 (Cairney 90, 5); Decordova-Reid 7 (Wilson 90, 5), Pereira 6 (James 77, 6), Willian 6 ( Adarabioyo 77, 5); Mitrovic 5. Booked: Kurzawa, Ream, Pereira.

Referee: Robert Jones