Premiership: Fulham 2 - Newcastle Utd 3Sven-Goran Eriksson came to Loftus Road last night to assess future England stars - but was instead given a flashback to the past as Alan Shearer inspired Newcastle to a storming comeback victory.
Fulham were 2-0 up inside seven minutes, with goals from St James' Park old boys Lee Clark and Louis Saha, but Shearer was the hero as the Geordies powered back to clinch this thrilling 3-2 success.
Shearer (33) set up the first and scored the second and third himself as Bobby Robson's men made it four wins on the spin.
Clark opened the scoring when he turned on a sixpence and cracked home a superb angled drive in the fifth minute, after Steed Malbranque's pass.
Two minutes later Chris Coleman's men went 2-0 up through Saha's drilled shot into the far corner after the Frenchman foxed Titus Bramble.
Robson's side pulled one back on the quarter hour. Laurent Robert produced a neat exchange of passes with Shearer and almost ripped Fulham's net with a half-volley from 10 yards.
The tempo picked up again just before the break and Shearer scored a penalty in the 50th minute when Alain Goma felled Shola Ameobi.
And Shearer completed Newcastle's comeback with the 56th-minute winner - a typical poacher's strike for his eighth goal of the season to take him joint top of the Premiership scoring charts.
Fulham had chances to return to level terms, with Mark Pembridge snatching at a bouncing ball in the box and Saha drawing a solid save from Shay Given.
Bramble redeemed himself for his earlier blunder by clearing off his own goal line eight minutes from time.
Fulham substitute Junichi Inamoto blasted an acute drive past Given - but Bramble hooked clear from under the crossbar.
Given stuck out a leg to boot away Legwinski's late shot from Inamoto's cross as United held on to win.
FULHAM: Van der Sar; Leacock, Bonnissel, Knight, Goma, Legwinski, Pembridge (Inamoto 79), Clark, Malbranque, Buari (Hayles 45), Saha. Subs Not Used: Crossley, Melville, Djetou. Booked: Pembridge, Legwinski. Goals: Clark 6, Saha 8.
NEWCASTLE: Given; Hughes, Bernard, O'Brien, Bramble, Jenas, Speed, Bowyer, Robert (Ambrose 87), Shearer, Ameobi. Subs Not Used: Harper, LuaLua, Stephen Caldwell, Viana. Booked: Speed, Bowyer. Goals: Robert 16, Shearer 51 pen, 56.
Referee: B Knight (Kent).
