Our prediction for this Premier League match:
Newcastle United will try to make a fine start to the new Premier League campaign when they take on Southampton at their St. James’ Park on Saturday afternoon. The Magpies are seen as hot favourites to win the season opener, but the newcomers should not be written off just yet. It has to be noted that the club chiefs have managed to keep hold of key players in the summer transfer window, while adding the likes of Odysseas Vlachodimos (goalkeeper), William Osula (centre-forward), and Lloyd Kelly (centre-back) to the squad.
The Saints, on the other hand, are eager to claim a major scalp on their return to the English top flight, but seeing that Newcastle have turned St. James’ Park into a real fortress, anything but a routine home win would be a big surprise. The likes of Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Flynn Downes, Ben Brereton Diaz, Yukinari Sugawara, Ronnie Edwards, and Yukinari Sugawara have signed permanent deals with Southampton.
Highlighted Player (Jamaal Lascelles):
![Jamaal Lascelles](https://footballpredictions.com/wp-content/plugins/fp-highlights/imageid/player/28059634.png)
Born in Derby on November 11, 1993, Jamaal Lascelles is an English footballer who plays for Newcastle United as a defender. Lascelles began his youth career at Nottingham Forest and he continued playing for the Reds on senior level.
After scoring two goals in 32 appearances for Forest, Jamaal Lascelles moved to Newcastle United in 2014 and he has been playing for the Magpies ever since. The 188-cm-tall centre-back has a deal with Newcastle United, which should expire in June, 2023. Jamaal Lascelles made two appearances for England U21, but he has yet to make his senior debut with the Three Lions.
Speaking of his individual honours, the English defender was part of PFA Team of the Year for the 2016/2017 Championship season. Jamaal Lascelles scored three goals in 35 appearances for Newcastle United in the 2017/2018 Premier League season, helping Rafa Benitez’s team secure yet another top flight survival.
Highlighted Team (Southampton):
![Southampton](https://footballpredictions.com/wp-content/plugins/fp-highlights/imageid/team/713.png)
Southampton are an English football club that have been playing their home games at St Mary's Stadium since 2001. The Saints were based at The Dell in the past and the capacity of Southampton’s new stadium is 32,505. Southampton wear red and white striped shirts and the colour of the team’s away kit is navy and green.
The Saints have yet to win the Premier League trophy, but they did well to clinch the FA Cup title back in 1976, while participating in the final of the prestigious competition in 1900, 1902 and 2003. Southampton outplayed Manchester United in the 1976 FA Cup final and that is probably the club’s greatest victory ever.
The club are well known for their football academy and Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale is one of the players who began their football carrier at the St. Mary’s Stadium outfit. Southampton’s fiercest rivals are Portsmouth and the two teams square off against each other in the South Coast Derby.