Preview: Newcastle United are desperate for 3 points vs. Southampton

Newcastle United hope to claim their first double of the season when they face Southampton at St. Mary’s Stadium tomorrow afternoon.

Newcastle United need three points on Saturday to snap their five-game win-less streak and avoid being dragged into a dangerous relegation battle. Southampton have also been inconsistent and they are hoping to find their rhythm after losing three of their last five games.

Where They Stand

Southampton

• 13th, 34 points (Goal Differential: -16)
• Last Five: Two wins, three defeats

Newcastle United

• 14th, 32 points (Goal Differential: -17)
• Last Five: Three draws, two defeats

Analysis

On paper, tomorrow’s game between Southampton and Newcastle United does not raise any eyebrows as a battle between 13th and 14th, but this could be one of the most interesting games in the Premier League this weekend. Both teams are experiencing dips in form and their latest results have them on the edge of an intense relegation battle that is rotating new teams in the bottom three every weekend.

Newcastle United have not won a Premier League game since they stunned Chelsea on January 18th, but fans will be hoping the club’s recent victory over West Brom to advance to the quarter-final of the FA Cup will generate some momentum. Southampton are coming off a 3-1 loss to West Ham, so their primary focus is to bounce back and take the game to Newcastle United in front of their home supporters.

Danny Ings has been phenomenal for the Saints all season with 15 goals to his name, and one can assume that he will be a handful for the Magpies’ back-line, as will Moussa Djenepo. Newcastle United have only managed to score 24 goals as a team this season, so it will not come as a surprise tomorrow when we see Steve Bruce stick with his recently-implemented 4-4-2 shape to create more scoring chances.

Joelinton has failed to live up to the expectations set forth by his £40m price tag with an alarming three goals across all competitions, but fans will be expecting a good shift from Dwight Gayle. The 29-year-old has been waiting patiently for his chance to start up top and he is quite frankly the Magpies’ only hope on the front-line.

Seeing that both teams hope to secure their safety over the next few weeks, fans should expect to see an open game with plenty of chances. The last meeting between these two teams ended in favor of the Magpies thanks to a late goal from Federico Fernandez. Let’s hope we see the same outcome tomorrow, too.

Predictions

What Carson and I witnessed from Newcastle United against Burnley and West Brom (FA Cup) as of late leads us to believe that the Magpies will take something from this road game. Carson is predicting another draw, but I can see the squad returning home with three points in the bag.

• Carson A. Merk: Southampton 1-1 Newcastle United
• Durim Halimi: Southampton 1-2 Newcastle United