Smith Rowe stars as Fulham hands Newcastle first loss of the season | Premier League

Newcastle couldn’t take their chance. Three points would have maintained the unbeaten start to the season, taken them to the top of the table for the evening, raised their growing optimism. Instead they were made to rue a poor first-half display against a delightful Fulham frontline, goals from Raúl Jiménez, Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson securing a fine if not flawless victory.

They never found their rhythm even if they set up a game for the second half, Harvey Barnes’s goal in the first minute after the restart making it 2-1 and setting up a tantalizing passage. For the hosts, the worry was obvious: they had blown a lead last week against West Ham through a late Danny Ings equaliser; would this be more of the same? But they clung on through Nelson’s goal in stopping time, the substitute gifted an easy opportunity in the box after a wayward pass from Bruno Gumiarães.

Newcastle entered the encounter with an early-season narrative formed: points over performance, unbeaten despite lacking a bit of sparkle. The main concern leading in was whether Alexander Isak would feature due to eye and foot problems, a potential issue accentuated by a lack of alternatives up top. Relief would have filled those making the trip down south to see Isak in the XI. Fulham were unchanged from last weekend, completely changed from that midweek B-movie, The Shootout of Deepdale.

Both sides began with vigor under the late-summer sun, Newcastle landing the first major blow – or so they thought. Joelinton was the goalscorer in the fifth minute, blasting in the rebound from his own effort after a cutback from Joe Willock on the left. Their joy was brief as the flag went up, misery kicking in moments later.

Jiménez was the starter and the finisher, finding Adama Traore on the right before making his way into the box. The winger cut in to cross to Jiménez, lurking by the penalty spot but thinking and moving quicker than his marker, Fabian Schãr. The chest took the ball down, the right foot, on the turn, dropped the ball on the half-volleyball into the bottom corner.

Not long after, Fulham were building down the left, Alex Iwobi feeding Smith Rowe, who rattled the crossbar. Newcastle suddenly appeared lost, the hosts’ thrilling frontline bringing the mayhem. Jiménez, the No 7, was all No 9, running in behind and haranguing the centre-backs, forcing Nick Pope into a star-jump save in the 14th minute after Iwobi’s dinked ball over the top beat the reach of the leaping Dan Burn. Later in the half, Jiménez would blast over the bar from close range, every sinew put into getting on the end of a cross from the right. His was a first-half display of genuine confidence, perhaps boosted by his goal last weekend.

Iwobi and Smith Rowe were particularly electric, kindred spirits with some delightful interplay. Both are Arsenal products, both have that rolled-down-socks look that spells out flair. It was inevitable they’d combine for the second, their one-two followed by Smith Rowe poking the ball through Burn’s legs and past Pope, the keeper’s left hand not strong enough, a 2-0 lead established in less than 25 minutes.

Newcastle appeared desperate as the first half met its close, a couple of long balls into the box for Joelinton to run on to with little success reflecting their story. Something needed to change.

Howe made two half-time changes, bringing Lewis Hall on for Lloyd Kelly, Jacob Murphy for Willock. The impact was immediate as the visitors capitalized on an error from Joachim Andersen, with Murphy sliding into the clinical Barnes, the in-form winger delivering his third goal in as many games with a well-placed finish into the bottom corner.

Anxiety was the overriding emotion for the home support and it grew more when a wonderful chance for a third passed by, Pope saving brilliantly from Iwobi at the far post in the 52nd minute after Traore stood up a cross from the right.

Newcastle pressed on, finally feeling alive as Fulham began to falter. There was chaos in the 72nd minute, when Bernd Leno’s goalkick was passed to a dozing Smith Rowe; Schär was alive to the possibility, dispossessing the attacker to set up what should have been the leveller. The visiting support roared until they realized it was the side-netting that had been struck. The home fans would continue to live with an impending sense of doom until Nelson provided the sweet release.