Impressive home record makes Saints clash a real test for Newcastle – opinion

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Newcastle United have the opportunity tonight to make quite the statement versus Southampton. The Magpies are undefeated in 2022 thus far.

As for the Saints, they’ve overperformed this season and currently sit in ninth position. Whilst they were beaten comfortably last weekend by Aston Villa, it’s still a big test for Newcastle.

Southampton have been hard to predict this season, beating sides you wouldn’t have expected them to. Then they’ve lost games you wouldn’t expect them to lose.

Beating Southampton would make a statement – they have a strong home record

With the Magpies distancing themselves from the bottom three, they will be setting their sights on the best of the rest. If they can keep gathering momentum, they could close in on the teams above them.

It would be quite the statement tonight if they could beat Southampton. Newcastle’s record at St Mary’s isn’t that great overall. However, they did win there back in March 2020 – their final game before football went behind closed doors due to COVID.

This season the Saints have an extremely impressive record at home. They have only lost once at their home ground, going down 1-0 to Wolves back in September.

So this will be a real test for Eddie Howe and his side and could show far they’ve come since he took over in November.

They’re in immense form, so now would be as good a time as any to take on Southampton at their home fortress. A victory tonight would move them to within two points of Brighton.

Additionally, after a 4-0 defeat to Aston Villa, Ralph Hasenhutl’s men will look to bounce back. The Southampton boss will want to end the Toon’s undefeated streak. He was upset at the fact the rearrangement of the game meant Newcastle could field their new January signings.

Howe will hope his Newcastle side can continue their good form, and a win would put pressure on the teams above them. It would also make them just the second side this season to beat Southampton at home. That would be some achievement.