Mark Hughes voices his support for Ian Holloway

Fulham manager Mark Hughes has come out in support for Ian Holloway following the Blackpool boss’ latest outburst.

The Premier League could punish Holloway’s Blackpool after the Seasiders made 10 changes to the team that drew with Everton five days ago for their 3-2 defeat by Aston Villa on Wednesday night.

Mick McCarthy’s Wolves were given a suspended £25,000 fine last season when he decided to field 10 different players who then suffered a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United at Old Trafford.

The Fulham manager warned that the football authorities should “tread very carefully” and believes “it would be wrong when people start stepping in and start telling managers who they should be picking”.

And the former Manchester City manager believes Holloway is right to defend himself and ultimately “you have to allow managers to manage”.

“If he makes a decision then it is in the best interest of the players he has,” said Hughes. “If people want to have an influence I would say that was incorrect.”

Talking at Fulham’s training ground in south west London before the trip to the North East to face fifth-placed Newcastle, he was confident he could change Fulham’s away record.

Although the Cottagers have only lost twice and drawn four in the league this season they are desperate to record their first way win since beating Portsmouth 1-0 in August 2009.

“We have noted the strengths of Newcastle,” he said. “I watched them against Arsenal and they created problems and worked hard for each other.

“But we know we can catch them out and we will be look to exploit the things we have seen and combat their strengths.”

This may well be Fulham’s best opportunity to stop the rot away from home as Hughes will have noted that Newacastle have already slipped up against Blackpool, Stoke and Blackburn Rovers.

“It will be a difficult game for us, but we will go there and ask questions because for some reason their home form is not as good as it should be.”

He added: “They have a good team spirit and the most in from player in the Premier League in terms of his overall play and he is scoring goals.”