WHEN Graeme Souness watched his side lose 2-1 at the Reebok Stadium last weekend, he likened Bolton's long-ball game to the football of the 1980s.

But, yesterday, it was Newcastle that were transported back in time - to October 16, 1982 to be exact, another date that saw them lose 4-1 at home to Fulham.

That defeat was calamitous, but it came in the old second division at a time when United were in a rebuilding process and playing against the likes of Shrewsbury and Carlisle.

Times are supposed to have changed.

Newcastle aren't meant to lose 4-1 at home to anybody any more, and they certainly don't expect to be humiliated by a side struggling in the bottom five of the Premiership who had previously failed to win away from Craven Cottage all season.

But humiliated they certainly were and, after coasting through his first ten games as Newcastle boss, the honeymoon is over for Souness.

Banished to the stands after blowing his top in the first half, the Scot watched helplessly as his side slipped into total disarray in the second half of a game they dominated in terms of both possession and territory.

The sight of England midfielder Jermaine Jenas being ran ragged as part of a three-man defence highlighted the tactical meltdown that left United with four attackers and no full-backs as they chased the game.

The result was chaos, with Steed Malbranque grabbing a double to go with Collins John's first-half opener, before Luis Boa Morte rubbed salt in the wound by galloping clear of everyone to add a well-taken fourth.

Craig Bellamy reduced the arrears 13 minutes from time but, despite finishing with all four of their strikers on the pitch, Newcastle failed to capitalise on their 19 corners to Fulham's none and an incredible 26 shots - 20 of which managed to hit the target.

Veteran goalkeeper Mark Crossley was partly to blame, but Souness' decision to start with Jenas and Bellamy in unorthodox wide positions hardly helped and the rapturous reception the home crowd gave to second-half substitute Laurent Robert suggested the Scot's tactical tinkering is beginning to wear thin.

Crossley made ten superb stops as Newcastle peppered his goal, with his third-minute double save setting the tone for much of what was to follow.

The 35-year-old parried Lee Bowyer's snapshot after the United midfielder had played an intelligent one-two with Patrick Kluivert, before also beating out Bellamy's volleyed rebound.

Most of United's early openings dropped to Bowyer but, while the 27-year-old continues to make his trademark surges from the deep, his failure to find the target this season suggests his finishing is no match for his fitness.

Andy Cole's radar was similarly askew as he blazed over following a fine surge down the right, but it was more about what the former Magpies favourite didn't do when Fulham took the lead shortly before the half-hour mark.

After he scored a record-breaking 41 goals in black and white during the 1993-94 season, Newcastle's defenders could have been forgiven for expecting Cole to have one thought on his mind as Papa Bouba Diop rolled the ball into his path on the edge of the box.

But, instead of pulling the trigger, the Fulham skipper pulled the United backline out of position with an extravagant step-over that left John bearing down on goal.

The Liberia-born striker - not to be confused with former Scotland international John Collins - needed just one touch to turn Aaron Hughes before slotting a precise finish between the legs of the advancing Steve Harper.

Harper was making his first league appearance in almost four years in the absence of Shay Given, with Newcastle's first-choice stopper unavailable as his wife, Jane, gave birth to the couple's first child.

Given what was to follow, Harper might gladly wait another four years before volunteering for action again.

Souness was clearly angered by what appeared to be a foul on Alan Shearer during the build-up to Fulham's opener, but the United manager's rage was nothing compared to the apoplexy that saw him banished to the stands three minutes later.

Shearer was just about to pull the trigger after playing an intricate one-two with Kluivert, when Diop clearly bundled him to the ground in the heart of the penalty area.

Referee Howard Webb remained unmoved - unlike the water bottle that Souness booted 20 yards onto the pitch - but while the referee failed to spot the offence on Shearer, he was quick enough to see his assistant, Tony Leake, bringing his attention to Souness' indiscretions.

If that incident suggested it was not going to be Newcastle's day, the sense of helplessness deepened as the visitors enjoyed a bizarre double escape six minutes before half-time.

Bellamy's goalbound volley was blocked by the retreating Zesh Rehman and, when the rebound dropped to Kluivert six yards out, the Dutch international slammed the ball full into Crossley's face.

Sometimes you have to help yourself though and, with everything being chanelled through the middle, Newcastle's midfield rarely displayed the kind of cohesion that could have turned their plentiful possession into goals.

Things perked up momentarily after the 58th-minute introduction of Robert but, just as United looked likely to grab an equaliser, the wheels came off in spectacular fashion.

First, Andy O'Brien was robbed by Cole as he trod on the ball and, after the Fulham striker rolled in Malbranque, the French Under-21 international slotted a cool finish beyond Harper.

Malbranque added his second from the penalty spot three minutes later, taking advantage of Elliott's rash challenge after the United centre-half had been exposed by substitute Tomasz Radzinski's pace.

And things got even worse in the 76th minute when, with just two Newcastle defenders left on the pitch, Malbranque sent Boa Morte galloping clear to chip a deft finish over Harper.

Bellamy at least broke the home side's duck when he headed home Bowyer's right-wing cross but, by then, it was too little, too late.

The end result was Newcastle's worst home defeat since last April's 6-2 thumping by Manchester United.

After shipping six goals in their last two games, United's shell-shocked defenders will hardly be relishing renewing acquaintances with Sir Alex Ferguson's men on Sunday.

Result: Newcastle United 1 Fulham 4.

Read more about Newcastle United FC here.