Newcastle United look to chase their first win of the season as they welcome Southampton to St James’ Park.
Victory would see either team register their first league win of the season and move further away from the relegation zone heading into the international break.
Team News
Newcastle are set to be without Isaac Hayden after he missed Wednesday’s Carabao Cup exit to Burnley with a knee injury.
Allan Saint-Maximin (foot) is a doubt but Martin Dubravka (foot), Karl Darlow (fitness), Elliott Anderson (hip) Jonjo Shelvey and Paul Dummett (both calf) are still ruled out.
Southampton could be without Stuart Armstrong due to tight calf muscles.
Sam McQueen and Will Smallbone remain absent with knee injuries.
Stat Attack
- Newcastle have lost just one of their last eight meetings against Southampton (W5, D2, L1).
- Southampton have won just one of their last 16 league trips to St James’ Park (W1, D3, L12).
- No English goalkeeper has conceded more goals in the opening two rounds of this Premier League season than Newcastle’s Freddie Woodman, who has conceded six goals in two matches.
- Southampton’s Che Adams has played three through balls in two league matches this season.
- Newcastle drew both of their home matches refereed by Paul Tierney last season against Liverpool and Aston Villa respectively.
Prediction
Having wasted numerous chances in their first three games of the season, Newcastle do need to start showing more clinical quality in their finishing, yet their defending has often been their downfall so a clean sheet in midweek will be a confidence boost coming into this match.
Having dug deep to hold Manchester United to a 1-1 draw last Sunday with a strong defensive yet pressing performance, Southampton’s confidence definitely will be sky-high after ruthlessly dismantling Newport in their greatest away performance in years on Wednesday in the Carabao Cup.
In fact that fresh belief have come at a solid time for Southampton given their hoodoo at St James’ Park so the first goal will be key, because if the Saints score first then I can see them taking the win but Newcastle will be keen to find that first win here although a draw would be a solid bet given the quality in both squads.
Prediction: Newcastle 1-1 Southampton
Result: Newcastle 2-2 Southampton