Newcastle United fans have been particularly buoyant in the Transfer Tavern during the international break such has been their side’s impressive start to the season.
The North East giants have won three of their opening seven Premier League matches upon return to the top-flight, while their recent 1-1 draw with Liverpool in their last outing highlights how far they have come under manager Rafa Benitez.
The Magpies sit ninth in the division and will go in search of a fourth league victory when they travel to St Mary’s on Sunday, a journey several of our resident Newcastle supporters will be making in anticipation of another three points for their side.
However, it won’t be easy against Mauricio Pellegrino’s Saints, despite their sluggish start to the campaign which has seen them pick up just two wins from their seven games, and in that time scoring just four goals.
Nonetheless, the South Coast outfit have recorded four successive top ten finishes in the Premier League so clearly know what it takes to get back there, and with the pressure somewhat building on Pellegrino given their poor goal return, Newcastle will have to be wary at St Mary’s on Sunday.
Regardless, the Magpies will be confident of clinching all three points this weekend, and here are THREE reasons why they will do just that…
Impressive recent run
Back-to-back defeats to start the season was hardly what Newcastle fans had in mind upon their return to the Premier League.
But the Magpies deserve great credit for losing just one of their last five league games, a run which included three successive victories over West Ham, Swansea City, and Stoke City.
Add in a credible 1-1 draw at home to Liverpool last time out, and Benitez’s men are certainly heading in the right direction, and will thus fancy their chances against Southampton on Sunday.
Difficult to break down
Although they have lost three times this term, two of those have been by the odd goal, and the other was only a 2-0 defeat to title contenders Tottenham.
Ultimately, Benitez’s side are difficult to break down and defend well as a unit, with the likes of Jamaal Lascelles and Ciaran Clark excelling at the heart of the back four.
They restricted free-scoring Liverpool to few clear-cut opportunities in the 1-1 draw last time out, and the knowledge that the defence is solid and organised will give the attacking players great confidence and freedom against the Saints on Sunday.
Southampton’s goal-scoring woes
Newcastle haven’t exactly been scoring for fun themselves, bagging just seven times in the league, but that’s still more than Southampton have managed.
Pellegrino’s side have scored just five times in the Premier League thus far and three of them came against West Ham back in August, the others coming in their 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last month, and in vein against Stoke City last time out.
That means they have scored in just one of their five matches at St Mary’s in all competitions this season, and alongside a Newcastle backline that has been solid throughout the campaign, this will give Benitez’s men little to fear on the South Coast on Sunday.
