Last updated & checked: 10/08/2021
Southampton make the long journey to the North East of England on Saturday, when they travel to take on Newcastle United at St James’ Park. The Toon currently sit in 15th place in the Premier League, seven points clear of the relegation zone. The Saints are one place and two points below the home side, but they do have a game in hand on the Magpies.
Both teams are heading into this game on the back of victories. Newcastle won 1-0 away at Leicester City last weekend, a victory which brought an end to a run of three games without a win. Southampton recorded an impressive 3-1 home win over high-flying Wolverhampton Wanderers, securing three points which could be vital in their battle to avoid the dreaded drop from the top flight.
Newcastle United vs Southampton Prediction: Magpies 1-1 Saints
Our prediction for this game is that it will end all square, with 1-1 looking a likely scoreline. These two sides are in very similar positions in the Premier League table, and look to be at about the same level when it comes to the overall quality in the line-ups. Manager Rafael Benitez remains the Toon’s biggest asset, and much talk recently has been about whether he will be staying at the club. Benitez is a cautious manager, generally speaking, and would probably be not too unhappy with a point from this contest.
Our recommended tip: Draw, 1X2
Our featured tip for this game comes courtesy of Irish bookie Paddy Power, who are offering odds of 2/1 on the 1X2 market on the game ending in a draw. Those odds represent decent value for a 1X2 bet, and if you want to boost them you can combine this with another bet. We suspect that the two sides will cancel each other out a little bit on Saturday evening. There is also a feeling that avoiding defeat is the real aim for both sides in this fixture as the teams below them in the table continue to struggle.
Previous matches
In the Premier League, these teams have met on 35 previous occasions. Of those games, Newcastle have won 12 and Southampton 15. There have been eight draws. The Toon have won 11 games at home, while the Saints have won three times in the Premier League on Tyneside.
Southampton have lost just one of their last nine Premier League matches against the Magpies, winning four and drawing four during that run. That defeat came last season, when the Saints were beaten 3-0 on Tyneside. Earlier this season, the teams drew 0-0 at St Mary’s in October.
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Players to watch: Ayoze Perez & Nathan Redmond
Ayoze Perez is a man that Southampton need to keep an eye on. The Spaniard has scored four goals and provided one assist in his last six Premier League games. In his 33 Premier League appearances in 2018/19, Perez has managed to find the opposition net seven times, and has provided two assists for his team-mates. He has created four big chances, and has made a total of 21 crosses.
Saints midfielder Nathan Redmond scored two goals in last weekend’s 3-1 victory over Wolves, and has shown some good form this season. In his 33 Premier League games in 2018/19, Redmond has scored five goals and provided three assists. He has created four big chances for his team-mates, and has played 39 accurate long balls. He has also hit the woodwork three times, and missed four big chances. He has crossed the ball 70 times, with an accuracy rate of 24%.
