Newcastle United are one of the form teams in the Premier League at the moment and they are on course to escape relegation to the English Championship as a result. Newcastle United struggled for positive results at the start of the current Premier League season through to the winter period of the season until the current run began on the back of the 4-0 home loss to defending champions Manchester City in December. The Magpies are presently on a run of eight games without defeat which is the longest in the division thereby moving seven points clear of the relegation zone as a result.
The Eddie Howe-led Newcastle United team have picked up 15 points from a maximum 24 points during their unbeaten run thanks to the return of five wins and three draws. They have won their last two Premier League games against Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion on the back of three wins and three draws and they can make it three victories on the bounce when they take on hosts Southampton in their rescheduled game at the St. Mary’s Stadium on Thursday night.
Newcastle United manager Howe has some injury concerns ahead of the trip to face the Saints. In his pre-match presser for the game held earlier on Wednesday, Howe informed reporters that Matt Ritchie has returned to training after missing some weeks as a result of a knee problem and he’s available for selection as far his squad for the Southampton game is concerned. Howe should also have in-form Ryan Fraser in his squad for the game after the Scottish winger suffered a slight knock at the end of his man-of-the-match performance against Brighton on Saturday. He scored the provided the second goal to propel Newcastle United to a 2-1 home win over the Seagulls.
Howe will be without the quintet of Callum Wilson, Jamal Lewis, Kieran Trippier, Federico Fernandez and Isaac Hayden for the Southampton game. The five players are long-term injury absentees.