Southampton look to hit back from Tuesday’s annihilation at Manchester United as they visit Newcastle United at St James’ Park.
Victory could take Newcastle as high as 15th providing that Burnley beat Brighton elsewhere, whilst Southampton could go tenth with a win if Arsenal lose at Aston Villa on Saturday lunchtime.
Team News
Jamal Lewis is ruled out for Newcastle with a hamstring injury despite playing the whole of Tuesday’s defeat against Crystal Palace.
Paul Dummett (knock), Jamaal Lascelles, Federico Fernandez (both hamstring) are sidelined whilst Ciaran Clark is a doubt for personal reasons.
Deadline day signing, Joe Willock could make his Magpies debut.
Southampton will have Jan Bednarek available for selection after his red card in a nine goal mauling at Manchester United in midweek was overturned on appeal.
Oriol Romeu (calf), Jannik Vestergaard (knee), Mohamed Salisu (undisclosed) and Kyle Walker-Peters (thigh) are in contention to feature if deemed fit.
Stuart Armstrong, Ibrahima Diallo (both muscle), Alexandre Jankewitz (suspension), Nathan Tella (thigh), Theo Walcott (hamstring), Michael Obafemi (undisclosed) and Will Smallbone (knee) remain ruled out.
Stat Attack
- Newcastle have lost just one of their last seven meetings against Southampton (W4, D2, L1).
- Southampton have lost three of their last five trips to St James’ Park (W1, D1, L3).
- Newcastle are yet to have a player sent off against Southampton after 39 previous Premier League meetings.
- Southampton are the first team to shift nine goals in two separate Premier League games plus in consecutive seasons.
- No Newcastle player has lost more aerial battles this season than Callum Wilson, who has lost 77 of his 115 aerial battles this season.
Prediction
Newcastle have definitely found fresh energy from their formation changes but poor man marking cost them in midweek, although they didn’t help prevent the defeat themselves by repeatedly wasting several opportunities to get back into the game despite making a fast start.
Southampton meanwhile were just defensively awful at Man Utd but poor refereeing at times didn’t help combined with a ruthless display by the Red Devils, so Ralph Hasenhuttl will definitely be looking for a reaction here given that the Saints has previous experience of a nine goal mauling under his watch.
Unlike last time though, his Saints have easier opposition in an inconsistent Newcastle team rather than Man City, so I am expecting a good game here because both teams need a strong response to midweek results which makes a draw a decent result if both clubs can tighten their defences up.
Prediction: Newcastle 1-1 Southampton
Result: Newcastle 3-2 Southampton