‘World class’… Don Hutchison blown away by what £4m Newcastle player did against Fulham

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There weren’t many moments of quality, but one Newcastle United did something ‘world class’ against Fulham on Saturday night.

That is the view of pundit Don Hutchison, who was astonished by what Martin Dubravka did during the first half of Newcastle United’s 2-0 win over Fulham in the FA Cup.

The 35-year-old was named in Eddie Howe’s starting XI for the 10th consecutive game, as he continues to deputise for the injured Nick Pope.

There were a lot of questions asked about Dubravka when he first returned to the side, and it looked like he would be replaced in the January transfer window.

However, he is really starting to look back to his best, and he continued his impressive form at Craven Cottage.

Martin Dubravka produces ‘world class save’ for Newcastle

With the score at 0-0, it looked for all the world that Fulham were going to take the lead. Rodrigo Muniz’s first time effort looked destined to find the bottom corner, only for Dubravka to claw it away at full stretch.

It was a really impressive save from the £4million man, and one that Don Hutchison thought was of the highest quality.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live: “It’s a world class save, once Muniz takes the shot he thinks he’s scored. On the stretch, Dubravka gets his fingertips to it. It’s a world class save.”

Huge moment during Newcastle’s FA Cup win over Fulham

The first half completely belonged to Fulham, yet it was Newcastle who eventually took the lead. Sean Longstaff scored the Magpies’ opener, and it set Eddie Howe’s side on course for an important victory. Dan Burn got the second goal, scoring against his former club for the second time this season.

Newcastle have now advanced to the fifth round of the FA Cup, as they aim to go deep into a competition that they have not won since 1955.

It was far from a perfect performance at Craven Cottage, but that does not matter. Newcastle did enough to get over the line, and that first half save from Dubravka was a pivotal moment.

At that point, Fulham were on top and creating the better chances. Had it gone in, they probably would have cruised to victory.

But Dubravka did something world class in the eyes of Hutchison, as he continues to prove that talk of Newcastle needing to sign a replacement was nonsense.