Not easy for Newcastle

Newcastle might be hot favourites for a quick return to the Premier League under Rafa Benitez, but they made an uninspiring start to their season with a 1-0 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage on Friday. The Championship is going to be demanding, writes Adam Bate.

Rafa Benitez spoke of Newcastle’s “great future” beforehand, but there are signs that the present could prove more of a problem after the Championship favourites suffered a 1-0 defeat to Fulham at Craven Cottage on the opening day of the Football League season.

Matt Smith’s first-half header from Tom Cairney’s left-wing corner was enough to separate the sides and while Benitez pointed to a strong penalty claim against Ryan Tunnicliffe for handball prior to that, the Newcastle boss stopped short of blaming the referee.

“I wouldn’t make any excuses,” he said. “We have to carry on and be better.” That was the inescapable conclusion on a night that highlighted the difficulties ahead for his team.

There had certainly been a celebratory mood in the build-up. The visiting Newcastle supporters in their Alan Shearer shirts marched through Bishops Park, packed out the Putney End and didn’t even wait for kick-off before bringing out the Barmy Army chants.

Rarely can a side have come down while retaining such a feel-good factor, but that shows the impression Benitez has made on these fans since arriving in the spring. The odds of 7/4 for Newcastle to win the title are a reflection of the widespread faith in him and his team.

It’s a side bolstered by the signings of Matt Ritchie, Dwight Gayle and Grant Hanley among many others and that trio’s experience of the Championship, as Benitez pointed out afterwards, is part of the reason why this defeat might not have been anticipated.

Benitez himself is a wily old campaigner having won promotions previously as a coach …

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