If outsiders needed reminding of Newcastle United's new unofficial motto, the words were there in black and white in the Leazes End before kick-off last Sunday. "We're not here to be popular," the banner quoting Eddie Howe read underneath Wor Flags' huge surfer depicting the Magpies boss. "We're here to compete."
Newcastle backed up that statement once more following a hard-fought 1-0 win against high-flying Fulham at St James' Park. It was the kind of match Newcastle might not have won not so long ago, but the hosts managed to find a way to get a result after Alexander Isak's 89th-minute winner sent Howe's side back up to third in the table.
Newcastle, once again, had to show both sides of their game against one of the Premier League's form teams after Fabian Schar spoke about how 'sometimes we don't have to be nice' ahead of this match. Whether it was Joelinton listening in on fellow Portuguese speaker Marco Silva delivering instructions to his Fulham players in a huddle in the first half or Burn throwing a second ball to Nick Pope as the visitors waited to take their penalty, Newcastle have long developed a streetwise streak that has been crucial to the club's turnaround.
