Two questions and two answers after Southampton failed to build upon 1-0 lead | OneFootball

Analysing the biggest talking points after another disappointing Premier League result.

Southampton returned to St. Mary's but not in winning ways. Jan Bednarek's powerful header got the home fans elated and some of them must have dreamed about the Saints humiliating Newcastle United as Bournemouth did.

That proved to be Southampton's only joy during the match. Later, Newcastle United carved open the Southampton defence and scored three goals.

The score could have been much more embarrassing if not for McCarthy's efforts. That being said, let's look at some of the biggest talking points from a rather dramatic match.

Two questions and two answers after Southampton failed to build upon 1-0 lead

First of all, we'll see the two answers we got from this 3-1 Premier League defeat. Thereafter, we will talk about the two biggest questions as Newcastle United dominated Southampton.

Two Answers

Will Aaron Ramsdale play against Newcastle United?

Ivan Juric gave a concerning assessment of Ramsdale's fitness before the home game. Understandably, it seemed that Joe Lumley would be back in the lineup if the former doesn't recover in time.

Ultimately, Ramsdale didn't start and Alex McCarthy was brought to replace him. The experienced goalkeeper had a good outing but the result left a lot to be desired.

Would the attackers take advantage of Newcastle's defensive lowdown?

Given that Newcastle lost 4-1 last week, there was an excitement surrounding the attack. The biggest question was whether Ivan Juric had a plan for Newcastle's defensive struggles.

Regardless, Kamaldeen Sulemana's absence already indicated that there wasn't any. Adam Armstrong couldn't find any rhythm and Paul Onuachu was left alone up front.

Post-match, Juric perfectly summarised Southampton's issues without Dibling and Sulemana.

Two Questions

When will Southampton change their centre-back trio?

Southampton's defence is a curious example of playing well while still losing. Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Jan Bednarek have been good all season and Bree hasn't made many mistakes either.

Surprisingly, their trio seems disjointed in every match. Jan Bednarek again scored in this match but collectively made many bad decisions alongside Bree.

The biggest came when Bree misjudged Gordon's pass behind Bednarek and Tonali raced forward to score the third goal. This must be changed before the next Ipswich Town match.

Should Mateus Fernandes be played as a striker?

Currently, Southampton only have Paul Onuachu as a good striker option. Hence, would it be wise to bring Mateus Fernandes to compliment him up front after his offside goal?

After all, the latter has been consistent the whole season as a playmaker. If Ivan Juric can sort out the midfield, then it could be a game-changer for Southampton.