Sandro Tonali closing in on Newcastle United return ahead of Premier League opener against Southampton
Newcastle United open their Premier League season on Saturday 17 August at 16:00 at home against Southampton at St. James' Park. The Magpies, who narrowly missed out on a top-four finish last season, have strengthened with Lewis Hall and Odysseas Vlachodimos and are targeting a third consecutive opening-day victory. There is further good news for the home side: Sandro Tonali is nearing the end of his ban.
Newcastle United chasing third consecutive opening-day win
Despite a disappointing season without Champions League football, ambitions at Newcastle United remain firmly intact. The Magpies have bolstered their squad for the new campaign with two notable signings: defender Lewis Hall was acquired from Chelsea for €33 million, while goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos arrived from Nottingham Forest for €23.6 million. Their pre-season form also provides cause for optimism, with Newcastle suffering just one defeat in five friendly matches. The statistics back up the Magpies' confidence ahead of the home fixture against the promoted Saints. In their last nine Premier League meetings with Southampton, Newcastle have claimed maximum points on seven occasions. Their record against newly promoted sides is even more impressive: in their last twenty league matches against promoted clubs, the Magpies have lost just once, winning eleven and drawing eight. Victory on Saturday would also mark their third successive opening-day win in the Premier League. Manager Eddie Howe is expected to line up in a 4-3-3, with top scorer Alexander Isak — who finished third in the scoring charts last season — flanked by Anthony Gordon and Jacob Murphy. Pre-season preparations have, however, been clouded by five injury concerns, including Callum Wilson and Sven Botman. On a more positive note, Sandro Tonali is approaching the end of his suspension. The club officially confirmed: 'The club has received formal confirmation from the Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC) that the player's sporting sanction will run up to and including Tuesday, August 27.'
Southampton return to the Premier League with new faces and a historically daunting task
Southampton are back in England's top flight after just one season in the Championship. Manager Russell Martin, previously in charge at Milton Keynes Dons and Swansea City, is making his Premier League debut. The club have invested heavily to support that step up: defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis was signed from Manchester City for €23 million, while midfielder Flynn Downes arrived from West Ham United for €17 million. On the other hand, Ché Adams departed for Torino and Duje Caleta-Car made the move to Olympique Lyon. Southampton's pre-season was encouraging, highlighted by a 7-1 victory over Eastleigh. Nevertheless, the Saints face a historically daunting challenge at St. James' Park: in eighteen away fixtures against Newcastle United in the Premier League, the Hampshire club have managed just one win, alongside four draws and no fewer than thirteen defeats. Martin expects to have returning players available to bolster his 3-5-2 setup. The 38-year-old manager spoke optimistically about his squad's fitness: 'Kamaldeen is nearly fit, Ross Stewart is nearly back in contention, and Adam Lallana is nearly back, so they're in a really good place.' Up front, Adam Armstrong and Ben Brereton are expected to pose the threat to Newcastle's defence.
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Source: Sportmonks
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