Emile Smith Rowe beating heart of Fulham’s confident win over sloppy Newcastle

We always knew Emile Smith Rowe had talent but having broken free from Arsenal he has a platform at Fulham to prove just how good he is.

Of all the business done by Premier League clubs this summer, Fulham’s decision to break their club record transfer fee to sign Smith Rowe for around £27million might prove to be one of the best.

The 24-year-old, forced to leave the Emirates because of a lack of first-team opportunities and the incessant drive to raise standards under Mikel Arteta, was the beating heart of Fulham’s dynamic first-half display.

The way he drifted through the gaps in Newcastle’s midfield and exploited the corridor of uncertainty just in front of their centre backs gave their opponents a constant headache. He is such a clever player.

Nobody could have foreseen that Fulham would turn into one of the main beneficiaries of Arsenal’s willingness to move on their most talented homegrown players, but with another former Arsenal Academy graduate Alex Iwobi impressive on the wing and Smith Rowe’s former youth-team colleague, Reiss Nelson, who also arrived from North London on loan this summer, scoring Fulham’s third this was quite the day for the trio.

Fulham were excellent in the first half in particular. They scored twice inside the first 25 minutes and should have had more.

“We were so dominant,” said manager Marco Silva. “It was such a good performance and I’m very happy with the team.

“It’s the way to bounce back from the last couple of results which were frustrating for everyone. I’m so pleased with the reaction. That first half shows how we want this team to play and the work we are putting in with the boys. Newcastle are a strong side. If they had won today they would have gone top of the table, so it was a fantastic effort.”

Smith Rowe scored Fulham’s second goal, a driving, dancing burst into the area and a smart toe poked finish that Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope should have saved – in trying to scoop the ball clear he managed to simply help it into the net. He also hit the crossbar with a rasping long-range strike.

Fulham’s first came from Raul Jimenez, whose turn and shot inside the area was not a moment defender Fabian Schar – who also missed a sitter in the second half when the score was 2-1 and Newcastle were in the ascendency – will want to see again. The centre-back was nowhere near the Mexico international, giving him the time and space to get a shot away.

Perhaps this result had been coming for Newcastle. They have not been playing well but have kept grinding out results. That cannot last and this time Fulham punished their mistakes.

This, though, was the worst performance so far. They were terrible in the first half in particular. Blunt in attack, leaky at the back and largely non-existent in midfield.

While others make more convenient scapegoats on Tyneside, the likes of Bruno Guimaraes – whose ridiculous attempt to pass the ball across Newcastle’s area left Nelson with a simple finish in stoppage time – Joelinton, Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon also need to have a look at themselves.

None of them have played well and what can be considered a blip, a temporary loss of sharpness at the start of a new campaign, is starting to become more of a concern. Gordon’s body language – this was also as bad as he has played in Newcastle colours – has been poor for weeks and was again. Bruno looks slow, heavy and unfit, Isak does not look as motivated or as sharp. Joelinton is persistently sloppy on the ball and keeps giving the ball away in dangerous areas. This time the result does not make it so convenient to ignore these issues.

“I analyse all the players fairly, there are no big name stars as far as I’m concerned,” said manager Eddie Howe. “Everyone comes into focus. We have not played well enough, that is by far the worst we have played this season, especially in the first half.

“You need your players to play well, everybody, to win games and clearly that wasn’t the case today.”