Substitute Tom Cairney scored a superb long-range strike as Fulham signed off with a comfortable win against Newcastle United on the final day of the Premier League season.

The build-up to the game was dominated by the uncertainty surrounding the future of Fulham manager Marco Silva, who has entered the last few weeks of his contract.

The long-serving Portuguese will make a decision on his future in the coming days, but he insisted the doubt around his position was not an "issue" before this game.

His side certainly did not look to be affected at a sun-drenched Craven Cottage and a header from unlikely scorer Issa Diop and a well-struck effort from substitute Cairney gave the hosts three points.

It was Diop who was quickest to react and knock in the rebound to open the scoring in the first half after Kevin's free-kick cannoned off the crossbar.

Newcastle have had an upturn in performances and results in recent weeks, but the flat visitors failed to find a way back into the game.

Fulham defender Timothy Castagne's last-ditch challenge prevented Lewis Hall from getting on the end of Jacob Murphy's cross and tapping home at the back post in the first half while alert goalkeeper Bernd Leno kept out Joe Willock's low effort.

It was as close as Newcastle came to equalising and Cairney sealed the victory late on with a fine strike into the top corner.

Fulham saw out the match easily to move above Newcastle and finish the season in 11th while Eddie Howe's side slipped to 12th.

Whether Silva stays or goes, it was fitting that it was a couple of long-serving players who stepped up for him.

However surely even he will have been a little surprised by the identity of the opening scorer.

Diop had not scored since finding the back of the net against Liverpool in a League Cup semi-final in January 2024.

It was therefore not surprising that the popular centre-back was mobbed by his ecstatic team-mates after heading home on Sunday.

Stunned playmaker Emile Smith Rowe had his hands on his head in apparent disbelief.

Few in the stadium, however, will have been surprised by Cairney's ability to score a screamer.

If Silva is to depart, he does so on the back of a fine victory.

Chairman Shahid Khan's programme notes were open-ended about Silva's future.

"Marco Silva has been absolutely integral to everything we've achieved - he's a major part of the foundation we're building and he's aware of our collective ambition for the seasons ahead," he wrote.

An intriguing few days lie in store and it remains to be seen if this impressive victory was Silva's parting shot.

In contrast, this was a very different final day for Newcastle.

Whereas Howe's side were playing for a place in the Champions League a year ago, 12 months on they already knew they were out of the race to qualify for Europe.

However, Howe had warned before the trip to Craven Cottage that "this game will live long with us" going into the summer break.

Those thoughts will not be positive and this defeat will be especially bitter given rivals Sunderland qualified for the Europa League as Howe's side were losing meekly.

With an eye on next season, Howe changed systems once more, fielding a back five and curiously taking Harvey Barnes - who had scored two goals in his previous two games - and the departing Kieran Trippier out of the side.

The extra centre-back - in the shape of Dan Burn - should in theory have given Newcastle added stability, but this leaky side have only kept a single clean sheet since February for a reason.

They were far too casual when Kevin stepped up to take the free-kick that led to Diop's opener.

Joe Willock, who was a late addition to the starting line-up after Sandro Tonali was injured in the warm-up, nonchalantly stuck out a leg only to join a number of his sleepy team-mates in watching Diop head home.

As good as Cairney's second was, no-one was close enough to him and that gave the midfielder the time he needed to unleash a rocket past Nick Pope.

If this side are to bounce back next season, they desperately need to rediscover some semblance of solidity - and more besides.