Newcastle v Southampton – Premier League match preview

Mags v Saints
Mags v Saints
Just two days after returning from Ukraine having secured passage through to the last 16 of the Europa League, Alan Pardew must prepare his side for a do or die basement battle against Southampton.

The two teams sit 16th and 15th respectively with only goal difference separating the two clubs. Both managers will be acutely aware of the importance of the victory as the term “breathing space” comes into the equation with league games starting to run out and safety still to fight for.

Both teams have undergone an upturn in form in recent weeks. We’ve lost just one match out of the last of five since our French invasion gathered pace at the end of January whilst Southampton seem to have got over their poor start to the season by losing just one of their last nine league outings (although six have been draws), with their 3-1 victory over Manchester City last time out showing how far they’ve come recently.

Newcastle:

Tim Krul is out and could be sidelined for as many as five weeks after picking up an ankle injury on Thursday. He will see a specialist on Monday to determine the severity of his injury. Hatem Ben Arfa is back in full training although judging by the words of Alan Pardew it looks as though this match will be too soon for him and he’ll have to wait until next Saturday at Swansea before making his return. Ryan Taylor and Haris Vuckic are both unavailable.

In better news, Mathieu Debuchy should return to the starting line up after being ineligible for the Europa League fixtures. Yoan Gouffran has trained for a week now following on from his injury at Tottenham and should be fine to start, as should Cheik Tiote who withdrew from the match in Ukraine with illness. Davide Santon should also be fine to play after recovering from an ankle knock.

Southampton:

Gaston Ramirez and Luke Shaw are available after missing the win against Manchester City through injury. Guly do Prado is doubtful for the trip to St James’ Park while Jose Fonte remains out with a knee problem.

Previously…

Newcastle lost the reverse fixture 2-0 earlier on in the season in what was the first clash between the two sides since 2005.

On home soil there have been 37 matches contested between the two sides with Southampton running out victorious at St James’ Park on just four of those occasions compared to United’s 28 victories. The last St James’ Park victory for the Saints came in March 1997.

Overall the record is a bit closer but it’s still United who shade it. There have been 75 matches between the two sides, home and away and in all competitions, with United winning 33 times compared to Southampton’s 26 victories. A total of 16 draws between the two sides make up the numbers.

Stats and facts:

Mike Williamson could make his 100th appearance for United while James Perch could make his 250th career league appearance.

Newcastle are yet to win a game after conceding the first goal this season. Of the 11 occasions United have conceded first we’ve managed to rescue two draws with the other nine games ending in defeat.

Southampton have lost just once on the road in their last five games and have taken 19 of their 27 points this season against bottom-half opposition.

Only Wigan and QPR have a worse first-half record in the Premier League than Southampton.

Rickie Lambert is looking for his 100th goal for Southampton.

Final thought:

Winning in midweek was great and prolongs our participation in Europe for another four weeks at least, but for me it won’t matter if we fail to register a win in this game. Southampton have had 15 days without a game while United have made a 3,000 mile trip to Ukraine and back and will have just two days to recover before going again. Professional athletes they may be, but even still we face a fully rested team when ours isn’t.

We’ve looked much better since being bolstered by our January signings and with it being “French Day” (honestly, I’m cringing right now!) at St James’ Park tomorrow hopefully our Gallic contingent can continue to impress and show that je ne sais quoi that has had people raving about them so far.

I really can’t stress the importance of this game. Win and we can look up. We’d be on 30 points with a bit of breathing space between us and the relegation spots. Lose or draw and we’re in danger of being sucked right in to the relegation mix, and no matter how much quality we have or how many people say that we have a squad to compete on two fronts, that will hurt.

Howay the lads!

Date: Sunday, 24th February, 2013

Time: 1:30pm

Venue: St James’ Park

About toonsy

A lifelong Newcastle fan and current webmaster of this very 'blog who has the sole aim of creating a place by Newcastle United fans, for Newcastle United fans.

152 thoughts on “Newcastle v Southampton – Premier League match preview

  1. Don’t like the look of the bottom of the league one bit. Tomorrow is a massive game, we need to avoid defeat at all costs.

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  2. Santii
    Our game is quite early so the spuds game might be on itv as well. Chelsea will probably be on ESPN, who are they playing.

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  3. Dave
    That’s a given but tbh I don’t care, as long as we’re not on ESPN it means I can watch it on tv, no dodgy/laggy streams.

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  4. Jordan Rhodes is English – he just chose to represent Scotland due to family history. Same as Matt Phillips at Blackpool, Kris Commons of Celtic, James Morrison of West Brom and about half of our national team squad.

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  5. Going to be a toughy this I think.

    They have had all week on the training ground to work on tactics and we have been in Europe and our training patterns will have been all over. Add to that they have been in good form and their new manager has them playing it’ll be tough.

    They push really high up the pitch and pressure high into our half – we will need to try and be brave to pass the ball and not just kick it long when under pressure.

    But I don’t think they’re great at the back so we will have chances and of course we’re at home so we should take it to them and attack.

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  6. couldn’t agree more Stewart.
    But I think we will see a different Cisse tomorrow.
    Goofy will tear them saints a new one too.
    Hope to at least see HBA on the bench. Maybe a 20 min cameo to round off a vital 3 points.
    Howay the Lads

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  7. I see Pards has talked about signing Sissoko to play in the no10 role ala Lampard of a few years ago. Guess that means he sees Benny as a winger.

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  8. BTW , unless we get more heavy snow in the morning, the match will go ahead, so dont go pinning your hopes on that one. 😕
    Agree with the article author, its a must win at all costs match.
    I want to see commitment all over the park. Bodies on the line and all that.
    Hope to see Saylor boy, bossing that back four. Although tbh I would happily see Hairdryer at LB, with Santoon at LW. Jonas on the bench.
    We must come out the blocks all guns blazing. An early goal would be a great way to settle any nerves.
    Toon Toon

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  9. No I dont agree Andy, I think he will have the two of them battling it out for the 10 slot.

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  10. Yeah Andy, only one of them can play in the No 10 role. The other will have to either play wing, or sit on the bench.
    Its tough when you have more than 11 ‘purples’ in a squad. They cant all play, all the time.
    But we have needed this competition for starting places to improve everyones game.
    Or are you saying that if and when Benny is fit, that he is a shoe in regardless.?

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  11. The commentary is usually on BBC Radio Newcastle. Not sure if you can get it online tho. But it is deffo on DAB, 95.4 FM and 1458 MW. In the North East.
    I notice too that it will be broadcast live on Coolsportz.tv channel 16 😉

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  12. BB
    Not saying that at all. Sissoko’s best position is CAM when he’s behind the main striker, Benny can play that role but as it is occupied he can play on the wing as he’s equally capable if not more so at playing there.

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  13. 3 points, piece ‘o’ **** 😎

    …bit like a fillet ‘o’ fish 😎

    …just with extra **** 😎

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  14. Nee fkn botha the mora like.

    aye Sooth-mamptin’s Dell was wa bergy grund for a long while, but since Sint Mary’s wiv bin alreet.

    Yes we’re at home.

    They ain’t got a chance.

    6/5 is too long.

    GGGGGGIIIIITTTTTTT AWWWWWNIT 😎

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  15. *Sooth-mamptin’s, as in belonging to Sigmund dog shitting christ gay lesbian amputee ****, with added bollocks.

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  16. ALL HAIL NUFC, AND ALL WHO SAIL IN HER.

    Let us commence prayer to the fkn hardcore (u kno the score) Great Lord of NUFC… 😎

    1. You shall have no other Gods but me.
    2. You shall not make for yourself any idol, nor bow down to it or worship it, even if it is made of potato.
    3. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God.
    4. You shall remember and keep the Black Sabbath day holy.
    5. Respect your father and mother.
    6. You must not kill stuff that doesn’t deserve it.
    7. You must not commit adultery unintentionally.
    8. You must not steal without a good enough excuse.
    9. You must not give false evidence against your neighbour, unless they lob you a few quid.
    10. You must not be envious of your neighbour’s goods. You shall not be envious of his house nor his wife, nor anything that belongs to your neighbour.

    😯
    11. Repeat to fade…

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  17. Nervous as hell. Going for a close fought 2-1 to the Toon. Sissoko and Gouffran to score (if he’s playing). Need all this french love today to inspire our lot to lay their bodies on the line. Bottom of table not looking pretty.
    HWTL.

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  18. Ain’t gonna be easy, but it’ll be 3 points none the less…despite Aussie jinxing it with a “good feeling” 😉

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  19. surely this must be the day when we win 2 home leauge in a row for the 1st time this season 😕 😕

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  20. 2 x Bacon, 2 x sausages, 2 x eggs, mushrooms, tomatoes and crumpets. 😛 😛
    Cant think of a better pre match meal. :mrgreen:
    Almost ready for the first pint. 😯
    Howay the Lads.
    3-0
    and we go 13th.
    More importantly, and I dont know if wor froggies get this, but we would also go above the scum.
    Incentive or wot ❓

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  21. Random but I was in Brussels last night, 2am departure, and some lad comes up who is clearly Geordie so I was speaking to him. He’d been to Kharkiv and it had taken him two days to get from Kharkiv to Brussels just to get my coach back to the UK. When he gets to London he’ll be jumping straight on the train to Southampton.

    Dedication 😎

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  22. Toonsy…”not feeling good” = nailed on 3 points 😉

    If he jumps on the train to Southampton he’s in for a shock 😉 😆

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  23. I have a bad feeling about today, because we are on the back of a strenuous midweek trip, and they are on a bounce at the moment with the confidence of a couple of great results under their belt. We need to avoid defeat at all costs. Can see a hard fought 1-1.

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  24. Agree Munich, I’m worried about today for all the reasons you said, and the fact that they’ve had two weeks to plan and prepare for us

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  25. Just getting ready to leave for the match with my youngest
    The stats of this game at st james are massively in our favour. So I’d settle for a 1-0 home win right now!! Cisse to get the goal!
    Which pubs let kids in before the game?? (9yrs old). Cheers

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  26. Dubtoon, I also fear the freshness of the Saints managers tactics, against the apparent intransegencies of Pardew’s tactics too. Will still love it if we win though !!! …and avoid injuries…pleeeeze… 🙂 HOWAY THE LADS !!!!

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  27. Training is training, too much often works against you, match prep. is different. We’ll be in the zone. We need to take advantage with an early goal, if we get it then 3 or 4-1. We’re due one. 🙂

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  28. TS9….You should be ok in nearly all the pubs…failing that there’s always Shearer’s…as long as the laddie is happy with lager 😉 😆

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  29. Toonsy…aye just, that’s what you bought me last time anyway…lager with a dash of resentment 😆

    TS9… 😆 ….maybe you’d have been better of asking ya lad which boozers let 9 yr olds in? 😆

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