In recent years, Newcastle United in the English Premier League has become one of the most progressive clubs. Before Alan Shearer’s era, the Magpies’ situation did not quite measure up, but Eddie Howe has done notable work on the coaching front and clearly does not intend to stop. The club has money for this, and the manager has the board’s trust. Accordingly, the club’s current twelfth place in the Premier League does not provoke the same waves of criticism as after the missteps at Liverpool or Manchester United. In this season’s English League Cup Newcastle is the defending champion. Last season the Magpies, in the semi-finals, beat Arsenal twice, and in the final beat Liverpool. Their path in this League Cup began two rounds ago with a 4:1 victory over modest Bradford City. In the previous round the Magpies’ opponent was much more serious, but Tottenham were beaten quite convincingly – 2:0. Fulham in recent years has not achieved such peaks in form as Howe’s team. However, the obvious achievement of the Cottagers is their departure from the status of a yo-yo club. Previously Fulham wandered between the Championship and the Premier League, but for the fourth year in a row they have been a solid mid-table side. The club from the outskirts of London also has a name for its success – Marco Silva. It is with this manager that Fulham rose from the Championship and has been playing under him to this day. Bookmakers have made the home side the favourites for the upcoming match, offering odds of 1.71 on their victory. In this season, Newcastle are not coping with the key task facing every top club. It consists of the ability to combine participation in the Champions League with domestic tournaments. In the last seven league rounds the Magpies have lost and won three times each, which is not enough to achieve high positions in the Premier League. Their results in the Champions League have also been decent. Fulham are not participating in European cups, and therefore have the opportunity to focus on the Premier League and cup competitions. In October the Cottagers endured a serious crisis, but subsequently began to win more than they lose. The visitors will not yield to their opponents, at least in regulation time.