Saints aim to make it back to back home wins as Newcastle visit St Mary’s on Saturday. Get ready for the game with our Match Pack, in association with eToro...
THE MATCH
Southampton v Newcastle
St Mary’s Stadium
Saturday 7th March, 3:00pm GMT
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: Graham Scott
Assistants: Neil Davies, Richard West
Fourth official: Andy Woolmer
VAR: Peter Bankes
Assistant VAR: Andy Garratt
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Saints couldn’t make it back to back wins after last weeks defeat to West Ham United but can make it two in a row at St Mary’s.
Goals from Shane Long and Stuart Armstrong sealed a 2-0 win when Aston Villa were the last visitors and more of the same could see Saints go 12th.
Newcastle arrive after reaching the FA Cup quarter finals on Tuesday night but a 0-0 draw against Burnley in their last league game continued their run of five top-flight games without a win.
However, with Newcastle just two points below Saints, three points for Steve Bruce’s side would see them jump above Saints into 13th place.
TEAM NEWS
Saints are likely to welcome back Moussa Djenpo after he missed the trip to London due to personal reasons with Danny Ings expected back in the starting eleven after starting on the bench against the Hammers.
However, Hasenhüttl will be without Stuart Armstrong who suffered a concussion against West Ham and Will Smallbone who hasn't trained during the week due to illness.
Long term absentee Nathan Redmond continues his rehabilitation from a muscle injury.
Newcastle boss Steve Bruce has two doubts in his squad but is hopeful that Allan Saint-Maximin and Javier Manquillo make the trip down to the South Coast.
FORM GUIDE
Southampton:
West Ham United (a) 1-3 (Obafemi)
Aston Villa (h) 2-0 (Long, Armstrong)
Burnley (h) 1-2 (Ings)
Tottenham (a) 2-3 (Long, Ings) FA Cup
Liverpool (a) 0-4
Newcastle:
West Brom (a) 3-2 (Almiron x 2, Lazaro) FA Cup
Burnley (h) 0-0
Crystal Palace (a) 0-1
Arsenal (a) 0-4
Oxford United (h) 3-2 (S. Longstaff, Joelinton, Saint-Maximin) FA Cup
THE MANAGERS
Ralph Hasenhüttl: “I expect them (Newcastle) to play in a similar way (in the FA Cup win against West Brom) but we want to give them more problems.
"We expect a difficult game, it will be an interesting one but it's more important to focus on our own performance."
Steve Bruce: ""They had a really good run and when you go down there it's always going to be difficult.
"We're quietly confident we can go and take something from the game."
ONES TO WATCH
James Ward-Prowse: The midfielder, who has also filled in at right back, has been a key member this season with five assists.
Wherever Ward-Prowse is on the pitch his four goals and five assists show the 25-year-old can make a big difference in the result.
Miguel Almiron: The Magpies haven’t scored in their last four Premier League games and with a new formation, Almiron will hope to be the one who benefits.
Four of his six goals this season have come in the FA Cup so Newcastle fans will be aiming for his cup form to guide them up the Premier League table.
TOP PERFORMERS:
Southampton:
Goals:
Danny Ings 18
Nathan Redmond 4
James Ward-Prowse 4
Assists:
James Ward-Prowse 5
Jack Stephens 3
Danny Ings 3
Newcastle:
Goals:
Miguel Almiron 6
Jonjo Shelvey 5
Joelinton, Matty Longstaff 3
Assists:
Christian Atsu 5
Joelinton 4
Andy Carroll, Jetro Willems 3
HEAD TO HEAD
Played 99
Saints 37
Draw 23
Newcastle 39
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
December 2019: Newcastle 2-1 Saints (Ings)
April 2019: Newcastle 3-1 Saints (Lemina)
October 2018: Saints 0-0 Newcastle
March 2018: Newcastle 3-0 Saints
October 2017: Saints 2-2 Newcastle (Gabbiadini x2)
DID YOU KNOW?
Only Liverpool (8) and Manchester City (5) have won more Premier League games so far in 2020 than Southampton (4).
Newcastle manager Steve Bruce has never won an away league match against Southampton in six previous attempts, drawing two and losing four of his visits to the St Mary’s Stadium.
No player has scored in more different Premier League games this season than Danny Ings, with the striker scoring in 14 of Southampton’s 28 Premier League games.
NOT AT THE GAME?
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