Report: Saints beaten at Newcastle on opening day
Southampton made their return to the Premier League in a game filled with drama, but ultimately disappointment, as they were beaten 1-0 by a Newcastle side that had to play more than an hour of the match with ten players.
Saints had been the better side even before the hosts had defender Fabian Schär sent off in the 28th minute, but they were unable to make the most of the advantage, giving away a costly goal to Joelinton right on half time, with that strike proving the difference come the final whistle.
There was much to like about the performance from Russell Martin’s team and undoubtedly a number of things for them to take from the contest, just not the points that they wanted the most.
Martin named the same team as he had for the final match of pre-season, against Getafe, with nine of the players who started in the Championship play-off final against Leeds making it into the XI for the opening day of the new campaign.
Yuki Sugawara, at right back, and Ben Brereton Díaz, in attack, were the two new summer additions given the nod in the north east, with Saints picking up where they left off last season.
Yuki Sugawara was making his competitive debut for the club (Photo: Matt Watson)
Sugawara was involved early on, as he provided a real moment of threat nine minutes into the game, bursting past Lewis Hall on the right before being pulled back just outside the edge of the area. The foul earned the Newcastle player a yellow card, while the free-kick then led to Saints having a goal disallowed.
Will Smallbone’s initial delivery was cleared but the ball soon ended up back with the midfielder, who took a beautiful touch with his head to work it into space, then slipped Joe Aribo through on the right. Aribo drove into the box, then picked out the return run of Smallbone on the edge of the six-yard box. Smallbone’s shot across goal was going wide, but Jack Stephens was there to turn it in at close range – only to have been in an offside position, with the flag going up.
It was one of a number of moments in the opening 20 minutes to give Martin’s side further encouragement, as they settled into the game impressively.
A smart period of possession close to the midway point of the half earned them another sight of goal, as Adam Armstrong turned to shoot from 25 yards out, with his well-struck effort flying about a yard over.
Soon after, Newcastle’s first shot of the game arrived, but it was a blocked effort from Schär – whose afternoon was about to be cut short.
Referee Craig Pawson produced a red card for Schär in the 28th minute following an altercation with Brereton Díaz in which the defender had squared up to the Saints forward and led with his head. The clash came as a result of Schär being unhappy after he was bundled over by Brereton Diaz moments after Pawson had blown the whistle for a foul in midfield, and he was also upset at the way he perceived the forward to have gone down to the ground holding his head, but the action was enough for Pawson to send him off, while he also subsequently booked Brereton Díaz.
Referee Craig Pawson shows Fabian Schär a red card (Photo: Matt Watson)
The decision reduced Newcastle to ten players, but also fired up the home crowd, who booed every Saints touch and loudly jeered Brereton Díaz every time the ball came to him.
But it also opened up a significant opportunity for the visitors, who had already been having the better of the game to that point.
They came very close to taking advantage of the extra player five minutes before half time, as a wicked Sugawara cross from the right picked out Brereton Díaz at the back post. The forward had been sharper to the delivery than Tino Livramento, but the former Saints full-back managed to put just enough pressure on him to help force his header over.
It was a fiery first half at St James' Park (Photo: Matt Watson)
Just when it felt like they could be on the brink of taking the lead, Saints then committed a costly error in the final minute of the half that saw them fall behind.
A pass from Stephens back to Alex McCarthy was misplayed by the keeper, who knocked it into the path of Alexander Isak on the right edge of the area, and he immediately squared the ball to Joelinton, who took a touch and finished into the bottom corner.
It was a real blow to Saints just before the break, and they also then saw their captain, Stephens, booked in added time for a foul on Anthony Gordon.
Still, Martin’s side could at least go into the final 45 minutes knowing they had an advantage in numbers.
Looking to make the most of that, the Saints boss made an attacking switch at the break, sending Sam Edozie on for Sugawara, who could reflect on a strong first 45 minutes with the club.
Martin certainly got the impact he was hoping for from Edozie, as he played a big part in creating a huge opportunity for an equaliser on 50 minutes.
Receiving a brilliant cross-field pass from Armstrong on the left, he powered forward and slipped in a pass to Aribo, whose cutback found Armstrong about eight yards out. His first-time shot towards the far corner had Newcastle keeper Nick Pope beaten, but the retreating Hall was able to slide and clear it off the line. Still, the rebound fell straight to Brereton Díaz just outside the six-yard area, but he blasted his shot wide of the far post.
Ben Brereton Díaz was heavily involved throughout (Photo: Matt Watson)
Moments later, Armstrong again went close, with a fierce strike from outside the box being tipped over by a flying Pope.
Saints continued to push for the equaliser and were regularly testing the Newcastle defence, with Flynn Downes having a shot blocked just after the hour mark before Joe Aribo then saw an effort spin wide off a defender.
As the game ticked towards the final 20 minutes, Martin made his next changes, sending on Cameron Archer for his debut and youngster Tyler Dibling, who was making his first Premier League appearance, as Brereton Díaz and Aribo made way.
It was all Saints, but they just couldn't find the breakthrough, with Armstrong going close on 78 minutes as a deflected shot from inside the box spun agonisingly wide of the near post.
Two more changes came with ten minutes to go, as Charly Alcaraz and Sam Amo-Ameyaw were introduced for Kyle Walker-Peters and Jan Bednarek.
The pair almost combined for an equaliser with four minutes left, as Alcaraz met Amo-Ameyaw's cross, but Pope dived to his right to save the header. It was a moment typical of the afternoon for Saints, who left with a great deal of credit but no points, as they now head home to face Nottingham Forest next weekend, when Premier League football returns to St Mary's.
Newcastle United: Pope, Schär, Joelinton, Gordon (Barnes 70), Isak, Hall (Kelly 70), Livramento, Murphy (Krafth 30), Burn, Longstaff, Guimarães.
Unused substitutes: Dùbravka, Trippier, Targett, Osula, Almiròn, Willock.
Goals: Joelinton (45’).
Booked: Hall.
Red cards: Schär.
Southampton: McCarthy, Sugawara (Edozie 46), Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek (Amo-Ameyaw 81), Stephens (captain), Walker-Peters (Alcaraz 81), Downes, Smallbone, Aribo (Dibling 70), Brereton Díaz (Archer 71), Armstrong.
Unused substitutes: Lumley, Taylor, Bree, Wood.
Booked: Brereton Díaz, Stephens, Harwood-Bellis, Edozie.
Referee: Craig Pawson.
Attendance: 52,196.
