With the intense glare of the media focus often beaming down upon Sunderland throughout the previous week, Newcastle boss Alan Pardew could well be happy to Paolo Di Canio and the Black Cats for shifting the local focus away from his sideas Premier League battles. 2012/13 has been an extended and difficult campaign for Newcastle, whose outstanding development to the final ten of the Europa League has been largely overshadowed by poor domestic sort that sees them languish in 15th place and just three points above the relegation zone planning into Sundayas clash at St Jamesas Park. The hostsa season have been undermined by a persistent injury crisis so far, and Pardew has been quick the culprit these exercise issues on their ongoing involvement in Europeas second most prestigious club competition. Pardewas recent worries found the fore after Newcastleas last Premier League fixture, a disappointing 4-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium last Saturday. Thursdayas latest European clash away to Benfica may have done little to boost his mood, after mysterious problems from Davide Santon and Steven Taylor gifted a 3-1 win to the hosts after Papiss Cisse had given them an unlikely early lead. Barring a failure of very nearly tragic proportions, Fulham should really be assured of Premier League football next year. Martin Jolas side was left by mondayas 3-2 victory over relegation-threatened QPR in 10th position in the Premier League, a comfortable nine points free from any immediate danger. A spate of outstanding showings from Bulgarian talisman Dimitar Berbatov have been a particular highlight in what has been an otherwise uneventful campaign at Craven Cottage. The former Tottenham and Manchester United striker, who joined Fulham for an undisclosed payment in August 2012, has 13 goals in every games this year, including a brace against QPR. KICK-OFF: Sunday, 3pm PAST THREE MEETINGSa Fulham 2 (Sidwell, Rodallega) Newcastle 1 (Ben Arfa), Premier League, December 2012 Fulham 5 (Murphy, Dempsey, Zamora) Newcastle 2 (Guthrie, Ben Arfa), Premier League, January 2012 Newcastle 2 (Most readily useful) Fulham 1 (Dempsey), Premier League, August 2011 STATSa Newcastle and Fulham have previously met 59 situations in League action. Fulham have gained 26, Newcastle 20 and there have been 13 draws. Newcastleas home form has been powerful this year. Only seven of their 33 details have now been claimed far from St Jamesas Park in 2012/13. Despite usually being associated with a relatively bad away history in the Premier League, Fulham are unbeaten within their last five games away from Craven Cottage. Despite their four straight clean sheets in the Europa League just before Thursdayas defeat to Benfica, Newcastle are without one in the Premier League since January. ODDSa Newcastle to win: 2.1 Fulham to win: 3.5 Draw: 3.4 Traditional MOMENT/MATCH Jolas men were inspired by a superb performance from American international midfielder Clint Dempsey to a definite 5-2 victory in January 2012. The Texan was in easy kind at Craven Cottage, consistently terrorising Newcastleas back line and netting a second-half hat-trick. Danny Murphy and Bobby Zamora also scored for Fulham. TV: Highlights on Match of your Day, BBC1 at 10.25pm.
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