Indeed, the Magpies have lost their last eight away league games – their longest such run since a run of nine between May and October 1977.
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Southampton welcome relegation-threatened Newcastle United to St Mary’s on Saturday as Ronald Koeman’s side seek to keep their Europa League bid alive. Join the Newcastle Toons team!
“Everybody will say, Oh, Newcastle will be relegated'”.
Southampton can claim a top-six finish in the Premier League this season and secure more European football, says Ronald Koeman.
“Something’s obviously not gone right there but we know they’ll be fighting for their lives on Saturday”, Austin told Southampton’s official club website.
“We gave them two or three main instructions, and afterwards we were trying to change little things with individuals too”. Seven games, 21 points – it’s enough to do well.
Goalkeeper Fraser Forster faces his former club without a clean sheet in his last six games, but the giant stopper has generally impressed since his return from injury and is likely to be England’s number two in France this summer in Jack Butland’s absence. I don’t know if he will be available for next weekend.
“If we can, it will be easier for me, the speech will be easier”.
“If we can not then we move on to the next one, because still we have games to play, points to win and we have to try”.
Southampton will be without midfielder Steven Davis this weekend after he picked up an injury against Leicester.
Meanwhile, Benitez has brushed off speculation linking him with the Spain job as he plots a long-term future at Newcastle.
Rumours have suggested Benitez could replace Vicente del Bosque – who intends to leave his post after Euro 2016 – as Spain coach. “I’m really pleased to have this challenge”.
‘The team has to improve mentally and has to approach the game with confidence. I watched Newcastle the other week and they’ve got some good players, but they aren’t a team. Were in the position were in, and we need character now.
‘How? Winning would be ideal.
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Managing director Lee Charnley acknowledged the club’s current on-field difficulties, saying: “We appreciate that, at the present time, football results and not financial results are what our supporters want to see from us”.
