SAINT 'N SINNER
Newcastle 1 Southampton 0: Ten-man Toon grab vital opening-day win as Joelinton scores winner vs newly-promoted Saints
Keeper's blunder ruins visitors' top-flight return after Schar red card for Magpies
ALEX McCARTHY went from Saint to sinner as Newcastle survived a moment of madness from Fabian Schar to get the points.
The Magpies were made to work hard for their third-straight opening day win under Eddie Howe - with the last Toon boss to achieve that feat being the legendary Joe Harvey.
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He, of course, was also the last Newcastle manager to deliver silverware to the long-suffering Toon Army way back in 1969.
Fans will be hoping that could just be an omen for this season.
Howe’s men made a blistering start to their latest quest for glory as they pinned back their visitors in front of a cauldron of noise at St James’ Park.
But that early dominance lasted just eight minutes as the Saints survived the onslaught and took control.
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They had the ball in the net when Will Smallbone’s mis-hit shot was slotted home by the offside Jack Stephens at the back post.
Ben Breton Diaz was enjoying plenty of joy playing off Newcastle full-back Tino Livramento, who was facing his old side, twice getting the better of the 21-year-old and running through into the box.
And the £7million summer signing from Villarreal had a huge part to play as the game exploded into life on 28 minutes.
A free-kick had already been awarded Southampton’s way as the loose ball ran through towards Schar 30 yards from his own goal.
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Schar was having none of it and attempted to drag the new most hated man in Tyneside back up as hordes of players from both teams ran over.
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Referee Craig Pawson wasted no time in giving the hot-headed Toon man his marching orders, while Diaz also got a caution, as the boos around SJP became deafening.
Jacob Murphy was the player sacrificed by Howe as Swede Emil Krafth came in to partner Dan Burn at the back.
Newcastle reveal 2024-25 away kit with hilarious video featuring SEVEN Toon legends…as even Ant and Dec blown away
Rather than being stunned into silence, the locals were raging at what they believed to be an injustice, and they were ready to let Diaz have it.
The next time the 25-year-old got the ball he tried to run at the defence down the left touchline as boos intensified.
But the jeers turned to huge cheers as Sean Longstaff went flying in, hard but fair, to send the ball out for a throw and Diaz flying up in the air as the crowd erupted.
Diaz got up laughing - but that smile was wiped off his and his team’s face seconds before the break as they gifted Newcastle the lead.
Just as Schar had handed - or rather headed - Southampton the initiative, Saints stopper Alex McCarthy repaid the favour right at the end of the first period.
Kyle Walker-Peters did well to cut out the threat of Alexander Isak down the right of the area and played the ball back to his goalie to clear.
McCarthy passed it straight back to the Toon striker, and the Swede calmly played the ball back across the goal for Joelinton to slot home in the opposite corner to the scrambling ‘keeper.
It was right on 45 minutes when the deadlock was broken, but there was still time for more drama before half time.
Joelinton headed down from a corner as the ball bounced off Flynn Downes' shoulder and instantly, along with 50,000 Geordies, called for a penalty to no avail.
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Speaking of Geordies, Southampton had one of their own in attack with pantomime villain Diaz.
Ex-Newcastle academy ace Adam Armstrong, 27, was raised five miles away from St James’ Park in Chapel House and grew up dreaming of scoring in front of the Gallowgate.
And he came mighty close as he forced Pope into a flying save high to his right moments after Lewis Hall had cleared his effort off the line as the Saints came out swinging at the start of the second.
Saints were having plenty of the ball but were struggling to break down the hosts as both Smallbone and Armstrong had shots blocked as did Downes and Joe Aribo.
Fresh legs were needed in the Toon ranks, and Howe introduced debutant Lloyd Kelly and Harvey Barnes in place of Lewis Hall and Anthony Gordon.
There was also a final blast of boos for Diaz as the forward left the field to be replaced by new Southampton striker Cameron Archer for the final 20 minutes.
The huffing and puffing continued as Saints tried to land a glove with Armstrong once again having a shot denied by Livramento’s knee.
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Then Pope, who tweaked his ankle taking a goalkick late on, dived low to his right to stop Carlos Alcaraz.
Man of the match Joelinton then bravely headed away in the middle of a mass of bodies as he secured his side the points.
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Changes to the Premier League for 2024/25
NOTHING stays the same forever.
And that includes the Premier League, which is making a number of tweaks this season.
Team news will now be released 75 MINUTES before kick-off, 15 minutes earlier than had been the case before.
Things could get crowded on the touchline, with the number of substitutes permitted to warm-up boosted from three players per team to FIVE.
There's also a change to how added time is calculated when a team scores a goal, an update to the 'multiball' system and the introduction of semi-automated offsides - but not straight away.
Go here to read about all the changes to the Premier League for 2024/25.
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