Newcastle United somehow secured all three points in their first Premier League match of the season, despite playing against Southampton with ten men for nearly an hour.
Fabian Schar was sent off after just 26 minutes following a controversial decision, but Eddie Howe’s men took the lead through Joelinton just before the break as the Brazilian sent a neat finish into the Saints’ net.
The Magpies were under the cosh throughout the second half, but they held on to start the 2024/25 campaign with a win, which will bolster confidence around St James’ Park.
Joelinton-Newcastle
Despite the victory, several players failed to perform well, which could see Howe making a few changes ahead of their next match.
One player who was disappointing against the Saints was Lewis Hall, as he struggled to cope before being subbed with 20 minutes to go.
Lewis Hall’s game in numbers v Southampton
The defender started the game on the left of a back four, but he failed to impress against the south coast side, struggling to cope with Adam Armstrong and Ben Brereton Diaz during his time on the pitch.
Newcastle-Schar-Hall-Guimaraes
Indeed, Hall was dribbled past on three occasions, won zero of his seven contested duels and lost possession a staggering 16 times throughout the game.
Lewis Hall’s stats v Southampton
Accurate passes
12/20
Touches
42
Total duels (won)
7 (0)
Possession lost
16
Key passes
1
Dribbled past
3 times
Via Sofascore
The defender also took 42 touches along with completing just 12 of his 20 attempted passes – a success rate of 60% – as he could count himself lucky that Newcastle managed to finish the game with all three points.
He did clear an Armstrong shot off the line, but that was about the only positive during his spell on the field, with Newcastle World giving him a match rating of 6/10.
Howe’s men take on Bournemouth next Sunday in the league. Will Hall start that match, or could he be replaced by another left-back in the squad following his poor performance?
Players who could replace Lewis Hall
Dan Burn is currently having to deputise at centre-back due to injuries, and with Schar likely missing a few games due to suspension, he won’t be moving to the left side of the defence anytime soon.
This leaves Matt Targett as the obvious option to come in for Hall next week. Last season, the Englishman made only seven appearances for the club due to a hamstring injury, so he may be eased back in gently.
Tonali-Trippier-Targett-Newcastle
Kieran Trippier may be a wildcard option for that spot, especially considering he played there during England’s run to the Euro 2024 final in the summer. However, this would perhaps be more of a last resort for Howe.
It might not have been the performance that the supporters or Howe would have expected, but starting the new season off with a win – especially with having to play the majority of the game with ten men – will stand them in good stead as they head into the clash against the Cherries next week.
