As expected Newcastle revert to a 4-4-2 formation for the game against Southampton this afternoon, and Vurnon Anita starts in place of the suspended Yohan Cabaye and Shola Ameobi is up front alongside Loic Remy.
So Shola Ameobi coming in for Yohan Cabaye is the one change manager Alan Pardew has made from the team that won 1-0 at Old Trafford last weekend.
The subs bench is also strong – Rob Elliot, Massadio Haidara, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Gabriel Obertan, Sammy Ameobi, Hatem Ben Arfa and Papiss Cisse – and we could see three of them get an outing this afternoon.
Newcastle will attack Southampton this afternoon, and vice versa – so it seems that a great game is in store for a sold out St. James’ Park.
Southampton will also play in a 4-4-2 formation, and England striker Rickie Lambert starts up front, but there’s a surprise in that midfielder Adam Lallana is on the bench, as is Morgan Schneiderlin, who has been recovering from injury.
Southampton are currently 3 points behind Newcastle, and a Magpies victory will put 6 points between the two teams tonight, but the Saints have been playing some great football this season, and this will be a difficult and close game.
Howay The Lads!!
Teams:
Newcastle United (4-4-2): Tim Krul; Mathieu Debuchy, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Davide Santon; Moussa Sissoko, Cheick Tiote, Vurnon Anita, Yoan Gouffran; Shola Ameobi, Loic Remy
Substitutes: Rob Elliot, Massadio Haidara, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Gabriel Obertan, Sammy Ameobi, Hatem Ben Arfa, Papiss Cisse
Southampton (4-4-2): Paulo Gazzaniga, Calum Chambers, Dejan Lovren, Jos Hooiveld, Luke Shaw; James Ward-Prowse, Jack Cork, Steven Davis, Jay Rodriguez; Rickie Lambert (c), Dani Osvaldo.
Substitutes: Cody Cropper, Maya Yoshida, Jose Fonte, Morgan Schneiderlin, Gaston Ramirez, Adam Lallana, Sam Gallagher
Referee: Mike Jones (Cheshire)
287 comments so far
Ted Bundy
Dec 14, 2013 at 5:03 PM
Comment #281Missed opportunity. Frustrating.
Santon at fault for their goal and that changed the course of the game. Could have gone either way in the end.
Cissee is useless and the sooner we’re shot the better. HBA isn’t doing enough from the bench, despite flashes of skill they lead to nothing, when we have genuine chances and it’s on him to make the critical pass selection, he still fuffs his lines and makes the wrong decision all too often. Remy extremely poor and we can’t have him misfiring too, his missed chance is one for the gaffs dvds.
MOTM – Debuchy – true winner we have there and could play for any team in the league.
Black and White with an army lol
Dec 14, 2013 at 5:03 PM
Comment #282what a rubbish display from Remy & Tiote, Remy missed a sitter and Tiote could of played the ball through to Debuchy on the right who wasn’t being marked but instead he blasts it
Rake
Dec 14, 2013 at 5:05 PM
Comment #283Fair result we won the first half and they won the second half.
TheToonKing
Dec 14, 2013 at 5:06 PM
Comment #284@Black and White with an army lol
rubbish display from Tiote ? He was arguably MoM.
antonmackay
Dec 14, 2013 at 5:07 PM
Comment #285why would people slate that performance cant fualt the effort and on another day could of won lets face it the chances that were missed and we are in 6th or 7th after games to come i would of took that before the season starts. Before anyone says about the other results we have had Southampton keep the ball and have more energy in there side than any of them sides. Wasn’t a bad performance and without cabaye to and a remy on form would of buried them chances
anita was brilliant today
theartfuldodger
Dec 14, 2013 at 5:07 PM
Comment #286I dont think that was a real “mistake” from Santon. How could he have predicted that sequence of events.
When remy missed that chance from the keeper error , it looked like it wasnt going to be our day.
So now we have Remy,Ameobi and Cisse all goal shy ?? Hmmm..
Uncertain Toon
Dec 14, 2013 at 5:08 PM
Comment #287Southampton did us with the subs at half time. I think it was pretty obvious they were going to change it.
We were to slow to react to that again! Pardew struggles to react or is to slow in reacting unfortunately.