This is the team we think Steve Bruce will select for tomorrow’s match at Southampton. It has five changes from the win over West Brom on Tuesday but just one from our last Premier League match against Burnley.
Bruce will likely keep with the same formation he used over the past two games. However, we see him going back to a few players who played last weekend.
The back four could see Manquillo, Lascelles, and Rose keep their place with Federico Fernandez replacing Fabian Schar at center-back. Of course, Martin Dubravka comes back in to make his 79th straight league start.
The midfield duo of Jonjo Shelvey and Isaac Hayden returns after starting together against Burnley but missing out to Sean Longstaff and Nabil Bentaleb in the FA Cup.
Allan Saint-Maximin continues on the right wing. Bruce declared him fit this morning during his press conference and we can’t see him not starting tomorrow.
The left wing gets a bit tricky for Bruce with both Matt Ritchie and Valentino Lazaro fit and available. We would prefer Lazaro get a second start in his preferred position but have a feeling Bruce will go with the 30-year-old Ritchie.
Before the West Brom match, it seemed like Dwight Gayle was due for a run in the team as the number nine. However, Joelinton played so well against West Brom on Tuesday that Bruce could go with the Brazilian once again.
Joelinton’s performance at the Hawthorns afforded Almiron, Saint-Maximin, and Lazaro so much space. Bruce will have been buoyed by his performance and may give him another shot upfront.
The head coach seems reluctant to rest the Brazilian, so we think it’ll be him and Almiron partnering upfront once again at St Mary’s.
With just Andy Carroll and Ciaran Clark not available for selection, the battle for places has significantly increased. Hopefully, that will bring out the best in this squad over the next few pivotal weeks.
How Will Newcastle Fare Against Southampton On Saturday?
- Win (45%, 703 )
- Loss (29%, 458 )
- Draw (26%, 405 )
Total Voters: 1,566
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123 comments so far
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 6, 2020 at 4:11 PM
Comment #1Vaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrr, repost.
Saw this comment and it didn’t seem quite right so I’ve altered it slightly.
I’d be very disappointed if Shelvey didn’t start for us next season, his overall play is more than good enough, he has so many moments in games where the cracking passes come off, very good mobility though, never any brain dead moments where he switches off and ultimately more than good enough.
He’s a fantastic player for any side, and if we want to kick on next season then the likes of Shelvey are the best players.
Stewin' Toon
Mar 6, 2020 at 4:21 PM
Comment #2I’m not sure exactly how this match will go v Saints – but I think we’ll score – that’s my prediction. Even though we went goalless against Burnley, we looked much more threatening. Having one more person in the attack was priceless.
Two more matches of getting used to the new formation, with Almiron finally playing in his best right position and being able to threaten the CBs directly with his pace will open up the game in ways he wasn’t able to on the wing. 1-2 Newcastle. HWTL!
barkel
Mar 6, 2020 at 4:30 PM
Comment #3Lazaro has to start RW, I know we played lower league opposition but we looked balanced in the front 4 with St. Max, Miggy, Lazaro & Jo, they’ve justified a PL start together. I like Ritchie, he has a great team spirit and usually a great delivery but he’s on the bench for me
Pottsclock
Mar 6, 2020 at 4:31 PM
Comment #4Saints will be a handful. Local lad Ings has been on fire all season and they had a very poor performance against WHU – expecting a rebound. They are good going forward but have been poor at the back.
Would be pleased with a draw and delighted with anything more. Need Manquillo and Rose to be solid to counter Redmond but we need to compete in midfield – really hope Shelvey does not play and we need ball winners. WOuld like to see Hayden and Bendaleg in midfield.
Essex Geordie Bill
Mar 6, 2020 at 4:39 PM
Comment #5I believe that Redmond is out with a bad injury.
Hope Shelvey gets a start!
Jib
Mar 6, 2020 at 4:39 PM
Comment #6If every team beneath us won this weekend and we lost
We’d still be 14th
However West Ham are away to Arsenal
Brighton are at Wolves and B’mouth at Anfield
Villa at Leicester , Norwich at Sheff Utd and the revived
Watford at Crystal Palace
Pottsclock
Mar 6, 2020 at 4:43 PM
Comment #7EGB – yes, you’re right. Redmond is out. Made my day !!
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Mar 6, 2020 at 4:43 PM
Comment #8I always think of Southampton as a bogey side.
Matt Le Tiss (not les mis) scored some wonder goals against us.
droppy in Wallsend
Mar 6, 2020 at 4:50 PM
Comment #9I hate Matt Le Tissier.
Not a fan of Les Mis either. Boring and too much silly singing.
WLtoon
Mar 6, 2020 at 4:53 PM
Comment #10I would be happy with a point tomorrow, i think Saints have looked decent the last month or so apart from the WH game. If we play the same system as Tuesday i think we have a chance, just hope Bruce does,nt go back to his negger tactics.
Bentaleb should be nowhere near the 1st 11 for me, he was hopeless the other night, and that was against a championship side, no disrespect of course.
The only change i would make to the predicted 11 is Lazaro for Ritchie.
My prediction 1-1
.
DaveD1000
Mar 6, 2020 at 4:55 PM
Comment #11Tiss not a fan but he scored some worldies. Am a fan of Ritchie but Laz looking sharper as he gets more game time.
Lindisfarne
Mar 6, 2020 at 4:58 PM
Comment #12“”goals scored per league game rising from 0.64 to 1.07 per game and goals conceded per match dropping from 1.86 to 1.07 when Saint-Maximin starts””
https://www.whoscored.com/Articles/Wp4gtYmW4kO5AqdRMO289w/Show/Why-Newcastle-must-keep-Saint-Maximin-sweet-for-Premier-League-survival
toon22
Mar 6, 2020 at 5:00 PM
Comment #13This FA Cup run merely masks Newcastle’s sorry stasis under Mike Ashley
https://www.fourfourtwo.com/features/newcastle-fa-cup-steve-bruce-mike-ashley-sorry-stasis
The most pertinent conclusion remains a damning one: Newcastle are the only club in the Premier League that would ever have given Bruce another job at this level of the game. Not entirely coincidentally, they’re also the only club in the Premier League that – quite literally – cannot give season tickets away.
Munster Mag
Mar 6, 2020 at 5:24 PM
Comment #1422 I didn’t want or realise Bruce was even a runner, but he was slagged off because he was 10th choice and took Ashley’s coin Yada Yada and that’s apparently our level of ambition. I thought we went for Martinez, Peps guy now at Arsenal, etc. So if that’s true we can’t say the club didn’t try to better, and was reasonably ambitious in choice. Double standards amongst les Mis? Never! 🙂
TomaKaThor
Mar 6, 2020 at 5:27 PM
Comment #15Ritchie may be great vocal wise and has a decent delivery sometimes but that’s about it, Lazaro needs to start
toon22
Mar 6, 2020 at 5:30 PM
Comment #16Munster
Do you regularly foam at the mouth ?
Munster Mag
Mar 6, 2020 at 5:32 PM
Comment #17WL Toon, I’d hope for lazaro too. Not sure where we will stand on the blog if SB goes for it with a similar more attacking formation, and gets soundly beaten . Presume all the Miseries will be wise after the event. Hard to win at this gig. I think we should be fair and give credit if he has a cut, makes decent subs and they lose working their arses off. If we go defensive and sneak a win I won’t be complaining at this acute stage either but it would be great to see more evolution. Jib tks for posting the other games.
Munster Mag
Mar 6, 2020 at 5:33 PM
Comment #18Only when I deal with hypocritical halfwits.
magpie0722
Mar 6, 2020 at 5:33 PM
Comment #19Would play Gayle ahead of Joelinton (one neat back heel doesn’t make you become a premier league star) fact is he’s shown nothing all season so time for someone else to have a shot. As for playing him left wing – who in their mind would pick him ahead of Saint MaxImin, ( yes I know – a fool) Bruce. For me playing Slow Joe is playing with 10 men every game, a decent manager wouldn’t ever consider doing that he would have been dropped long ago and made to prove he deserves to be a part of the match day squad.
beermonkey
Mar 6, 2020 at 5:35 PM
Comment #20droppy
it does mean for something else but either way you dont wanna touch either
magpie0722
Mar 6, 2020 at 5:35 PM
Comment #21Should read – who in their right mind would pick him ahead of Saint Maximin.
IrishRob
Mar 6, 2020 at 5:41 PM
Comment #22Richie wont be starting ahead of Lazaro Neil.
droppy in Wallsend
Mar 6, 2020 at 5:46 PM
Comment #23Beermonkey
What can I say mate.
I live dangerously ha ha ha
RobLeenio
Mar 6, 2020 at 5:51 PM
Comment #24I think Bruce will definitely pick Lazaro. As such, he’ll want two centre miss who can defend. Hayden and Bentaleb would be my guess.
Replace Fernandez for Schaer, too, maybe.
Other than that, I think you have it spot on, Neil.
😉
JohnReese
Mar 6, 2020 at 5:56 PM
Comment #25Just on the Shelvey talk today. In my opinion, to really get the best out of him you have to build your midfield around him. He has a very specific skill set that he is incredibly good at. He’s not the type of player that can drop in and play different roles or positions like Hayden can for example. If he’s staying at the club our future midfield signings have to be tailored toward protecting him and allowing him the space to operate in.
#BoycottAshley ( OP)
Mar 6, 2020 at 5:59 PM
Comment #26Munster@18
Every time you look in the mirror then!
Jib
Mar 6, 2020 at 6:04 PM
Comment #27Being an ex Swindon/B’mouth player
Matt always gets the bird at St. MarysThe Grauniad has him as a starter.
JohnReese
Mar 6, 2020 at 6:08 PM
Comment #28Jib, I imagine it would be the sort of atmosphere Ritchie would thrive on, he definitely feeds off the energy of the crowd.
I think against a team like Southampton however we need to go for more pace to try and match them up. If Redmond is out that’s great news, I haven’t heard anything on Djenepo, whenever I’ve watched him play this season he’s looked arguably more dangerous than Redmond.
Munster Mag
Mar 6, 2020 at 6:22 PM
Comment #29John Reese, agree both nice players, real handfulls. Redmond surely better than Southampton level
Munster Mag
Mar 6, 2020 at 6:25 PM
Comment #300722, why should he drop Joel after a good game?
jane
Mar 6, 2020 at 6:34 PM
Comment #31“Bruce Makes Five Changes In Our Predicted Team For Southampton”
this is pedantic but is it correct to say that Bruce is making the changes?
Anglo Saxon
Mar 6, 2020 at 6:39 PM
Comment #32Interesting.
pedantic is almost always an insult, referring to someone who is annoying for their attention to minor detail, or snobbish expertise in a narrow or boring topic.
jane
Mar 6, 2020 at 6:43 PM
Comment #33me annoying 🙂
Jib
Mar 6, 2020 at 6:45 PM
Comment #34jane
Who do you think is making the changes ?
toon22/Mr Tuff maybe ?
toon22
Mar 6, 2020 at 6:48 PM
Comment #35JIB
Who’s address do you think Jabba will send his goons to first ?
You know we live at different addresses
You’ve got everyone’s address who’s posted here
toon22
Mar 6, 2020 at 6:49 PM
Comment #36You wernt joking all those times you threatened posters on here we’re you
Jabbas got previous
toon22
Mar 6, 2020 at 6:50 PM
Comment #37Just when you thought the club had hit rock bottom
His goons find new lows
It’s never Jabbas fault
Anglo Saxon
Mar 6, 2020 at 6:51 PM
Comment #38Jane.
The meaning of the word. Pedantic.
toon22
Mar 6, 2020 at 6:51 PM
Comment #39How many STs do you think he’s going to give away next season ?
jane
Mar 6, 2020 at 6:54 PM
Comment #40Neil has a degree in English so i’m sure it is right.