Eddie Howe Prepares Newcastle for Premier League Finale Against Fulham

Eddie Howe is preparing for Newcastle’s final act of the Premier League season with one eye on Fulham – and the other on Sandro Tonali’s hamstring.

The Italian midfielder limped off in the win over West Ham last week, raising fears he might miss Sunday’s finale. Howe, though, struck a reassuring note as he weighed up his options for Craven Cottage.

“Sandro, potentially, will be available,” he said. “We will look at him again today. We don’t think it is anything serious.”

It is the kind of update that steadies a dressing room. Tonali has grown in influence as Newcastle’s form has surged, and the prospect of having him involved, even partially, keeps Howe’s midfield plans intact for one more push.

Osula’s rise and a striker with “untapped” levels

If Tonali’s fitness is the concern, the form of Osula is the feel‑good story of Newcastle’s run-in.

The striker hit two goals in the 3-1 victory over relegation-threatened West Ham, a performance that underlined why Howe talks about him with a mixture of excitement and intent. The raw tools are obvious; the challenge now is sculpting them.

“He is at a really good age,” Howe explained. “Lots of things to continue to work on, there are lots of untapped areas we can develop.

“The ceiling in his development is really high. He has the raw ingredients, the physical profile too.”

Those “raw ingredients” have arrived at just the right time. Newcastle’s season has veered from frustration to momentum, and Osula’s brace in their last home game felt like a marker for what could come next.

“It was great to win our last home game. That left us all with a great feeling. We want to end the season on a real high.”

From April setback to late-season surge

Not long ago, Newcastle were searching for rhythm. Their last defeat came against Premier League champions Arsenal in April, a result that threatened to drag them into a flat finish.

Instead, the response has been sharp. Performances have improved, the ball moves quicker, and the confidence that powered last season’s surge has begun to reappear.

“We hope to continue the upturn in our recent performances, upturn in our in-possession play, we want to end the season high, it is an important match for us,” Howe said.

Fulham away is not a dead rubber for Newcastle. It is a chance to lock in the progress of the past month, to turn an “upturn” into a platform. With Tonali racing the clock and Osula riding a wave, Howe’s side head into Sunday with a simple brief: finish the job, and carry this version of Newcastle into next season.