By Anthony Marshall - Newcastle United Managing Editor

At St. Mary's Stadium

 

 

Southampton 4 (Pelle 6, 19; Cork 54, Schneiderlin 90)

Newcastle United 0

Newcastle United suffered a 4-0 defeat away at Southampton on Saturday in the Barclays Premier League.

Graziano Pelle's early brace put the hosts firmly in control at St. Mary's Stadium, before Jack Cork and Morgan Schneiderlin put the result beyond any doubt in the second period.

Pelle headed home Saints' opener after six minutes, before doubling their lead soon after when he sidefooted home following a one-two with Dusan Tadic.

Moussa Sissoko, Jack Colback and Yoan Gouffran briefly threatened for the Magpies before the break, but Cork took advantage of a mix-up between Mike Williamson and Tim Krul nine minutes into the second period to score number three.

And the defeat was completed in stoppage time when Schneiderlin curled home from just inside the area.

The hosts were nearly in front with just 23 seconds on the clock, in calamitous circumstances.

Captain Fabricio Coloccini's back-pass was slightly under-hit, and Shane Long charged down goalkeeper Tim Krul's hurried clearance, with the ball flying inches wide of the upright.

Southampton continued to apply heavy early pressure and Long had a penalty appeal turned down by referee Chris Foy when he collided with Krul just inside the area.

But with six minutes gone the Saints were ahead in simple fashion. A throw-in down the left found was worked into the path of Ryan Bertrand, and the full-back lofted a cross onto the head of Pelle, who nodded into the top corner.

Southampton doubled their advantage on 19 minutes through that man Pelle again.

When Mike Williamson sent a weak clearing header into the path of Pelle 25 yards out, the big Italian front man attempted an ambitious first-time effort.

His shot screwed inadvertently into the path of Tadic, and then stayed switched on to drive into the box, collect the return pass and tap home a simple finish.

United's first opening came on 25 minutes and only a superb save from ex-Magpie Fraser Forster prevented the visitors from halving the deficit.

It was Sissoko who was denied by the Hexham-born goalkeeper, who got down well to beat away a close-range strike following an impressive counter-attack with Massadio Haidara.

Forster was called into action again seconds later, this time to smother a long-range Colback shot, while Gouffran saw a deflected effort almost fly in with half-time approaching.

Cheick Tiote was introduced at half-time in place of Vurnon Anita but it was Southampton who made the early running, with Krul doing well to keep out Tadic's drive from the edge of the area.

And the home side made it three on 54 minutes through Cork.

Steven Davis' through-ball caused confusion between Williamson and Krul, with the midfielder nipping in to round United's number one and slot home.

Ayoze Perez was the next United substitute to enter the fray and the Magpies came within inches of grabbing a consolation on 78 minutes.

Haidara's left-wing cross caused chaos in the Southampton six-yard box, and when Sissoko teed up Emmanuel Riviere, he pulled his shot wide, with Colback unable to get a key touch to steer it in.

But they were unable to trouble the scorers, and Schneiderlin rubbed salt in the wounds deep into stoppage time, collecting the ball on the left-hand side of the area and curling a brilliant finish into the far top corner for number four.

Southampton (4-3-3): Fraser Forster; Nathaniel Clyne, Jose Fonte (c), Toby Alderweireld, Ryan Bertrand; Steven Davis, Morgan Schneiderlin, Jack Cork (Florin Gardos 89); Shane Long (Victor Wanyama 46), Graziano Pelle, Dusan Tadic (James Ward-Prowse 67)

Subs not used: Kelvin Davis, Maya Yoshida, Sam McQueen, Emmanuel Mayuka

 

 

Newcastle United (4-2-3-1): Tim Krul; Daryl Janmaat, Mike Williamson, Fabricio Coloccini (c), Massadio Haidara; Vurnon Anita (Cheick Tiote 46), Jack Colback; Remy Cabella (Ayoze Perez 69), Moussa Sissoko (Sammy Ameobi 89), Yoan Gouffran; Emmanuel Riviere

 

Subs not used: Rob Elliot, Steven Taylor, Gabriel Obertan, Adam Armstrong

Referee: Chris Foy (Lancashire)

Bookings: Southampton - none; Newcastle - Colback (45), Tiote (57)