Fulham 3 Newcastle 1: Bruno blunder ends Toon fightback as two former Arsenal stars get on the scoresheet for Cottagers

NICK POPE'S nightmare moment blew Newcastle’s hopes of topping the Premier League.

England keeper Pope has been a big reason for the Toon’s early season form.

Eddie Howe’s side could have travelled back to the North East on top of the pile for the first time since they led under Bobby Robson in 2001.

But Pope’s horror blunder as he allowed Emile Smith Rowe’s soft effort to elude his grasp sent Newcastle spinning to their first defeat of the season.

Despite a second-half rally after Harvey Barnes netted within 30 seconds of the start of the second period, the harsh reality is that the luck that had carried Howe’s men through an unbeaten four-game start was due to run out.

And it did, as Newcastle paid the price for a wretched, ragged and woeful first half in which they were lucky to be only two down after Smith Rowe added to Raul Jimenez’s early opener.

Howe, who has tried to downplay expectations on the Gallowgate, prides himself on desire, determination and an all-round work ethic.

Newcastle, though, displayed none of that until they had effectively thrown the game away with a disjointed and desperate display that deserved absolutely nothing.

And their fate was sealed when Bruno Guimaraes passed across his own box and straight to substitute Reiss Nelson for a stoppage time clincher - his first Prem strike since leaving Arsenal.

It was only right that Fulham finally ended an eight-game winless streak against the Toon, after a madcap opening that set the tone.

Joelinton had the ball in the back on four minutes, sweeping home when his own strike came back to him off Bernd Leno but Joe Willock was correctly flagged in the build-up.

And 45 seconds later, Fulham were in front at the other end.

Adama Traore was allowed time to pick out a ball from the right.

Jimenez collected on his chest, Fabian Schar reacted too slowly and the Mexican swivelled to smash past Pope on the turn.

A great finish. But Howe will have been furious at how easy it was.

It was so nearly two almost instantly as well.

Smith Rowe took a return ball from Alex Iwobi and unleashed from the edge of the box, his effort flicking off the bar with Pope beaten.

Newcastle, with Alexander Isak - selected despite both eye and toe issues this week - unable to get into the game, were rocking.

Isak struggled to shine

Dan Burn escaped courtesy of Pope’s intervention as he allowed a Traore diagonal to float over his head and through to the lively Jimenez.

Iwobi’s clever passing into feet and spaces was terrific and it was no surprise that he was involved in the second - although Pope will hope all video evidence of his blooper can be obliterated.

Fulham came down the inside left channel through Smith Rowe, who spotted Iwobi on the outside.

Once again, Iwobi played a subtle pass into the danger zone but Smith Rowe’s poke with the outside of his right foot was barely more than a back pass.

Pope, however, went down in very slow stages, sticking out his left hand far too late and only managing to help the ball on its way into the net.

An absolute shocker, by any standards. Jimenez went close to a third with a half-volley over the top as he reacted far quicker than anyone in Newcastle’s 90s throwback away kit to Teddy Lukic’s cross.

Barnes tested Leno from 16 yards but Howe’s men were utterly disorganised through a porous midfield.

Pope stuck out a leg to foil Traore after he teased Burn and then had to dive the other way to repel Joachim Andersen’s long-ranger.

Howe acted by hooking Lloyd Kelly and Willock, with Lewis Hall and Jacob Murphy on.

And Murphy made an instant impact.

He received from Isak - the Swede was just onside - and drove deep before flicking to the left, where Barnes steered between Kenny Tete’s legs and into the far corner.

The travelling Toon Army, dormant throughout the opening 45 minutes, suddenly woke up. 

Nelson ended late nerves

Home fears would have been eased if Iwobi, unmarked at the back post, had converted Traore’s teasing cross on the volley from six yards out.

But Pope made partial amends for his earlier blunder with a fine reaction stop, before making far heavier weather of a bobbling Jimenez volley.

Bruno, whose last contribution was in keeping with his entire afternoon, was seeking to influence the game, but fitfully.

Only Anthony Gordon, wriggling through from half way and bringing an important save out of Leno, really seemed up for it.

Soon afterwards, the German keeper had a remarkable escape, after a terrible short goal kick saw Schar - what was he doing up there? - step in to nick the ball but blaze wide of the gaping target with Isak waiting for what would have been a tap-in.

Memories of last week’s costly late collapse against West Ham ensured tension.

But Nelson gleefully accepted his late gift to end any of that, ensuring Newcastle’s  journey back will be long and painful. Like much of the match for them.