Wolves have beaten Southampton in the last four meetings between the sides. They beat the Saints 1-0 earlier in the season but both teams had different managers for that one. Wolves have seemingly improved in recent weeks, while Southampton’s situation looks precarious.

Nathan Jones is under pressure and there was talk that he would be sacked this week. His side have won just one of their last five matches in all competitions. This came against Blackpool in the FA Cup; who play in the division below.

Wolves have had a tricky run of fixtures. They have played Liverpool twice and Manchester City in their last three matches in all competitions. Julen Lopetegui will feel as though he is having an impact at the club.

His side blew away Liverpool in the opening 15 minutes last week and secured 3-0 victory that will live long in the memory. Wolverhampton have climbed out of the relegation zone but are still right amongst it in the battle against the drop.

Southampton have won just one and lost eight of their last 10 league matches. Over this period, they are averaging just 0.7 goals per game. Their opponents are scoring an average of two goals per game. Wolves have won three of their six league matches since the World Cup.

However, they have faced Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, and a resurgent Aston Villa in those matches. They should have enough to win on Saturday.

This game means a lot to both sets of fans and we should see a feisty affair on Saturday. Recent matches between these sides have provided good entertainment and goals certainly haven’t been in short supply.

Crystal Palace are firmly in midtable after 21 games. Patrick Viera has succeeded in altering Palace’s style of play in his tenure so far. However, they still need to make strides forward to break into the top half of the Premier League.

Brighton are enjoying a fantastic season. They started the campaign under Graham Potter but De Zerbi has slotted into the setup seamlessly. The Seagulls are currently in 6th place, six points behind Newcastle, who have played a game more.

Brighton will want to the second half of their season to be just as prosperous at the first. There is an outside chance they can qualify for next season’s Champions League but European football will certainly be the target.

Brighton are averaging 2.49 goals per game since the restart. They have played seven league matches; winning four, losing two and drawing one.

Crystal Palace have won just one of their seven matches since the World Cup. Their only win came against a Bournemouth side who are struggling. Over this period, Palace are averaging just 0.57 goals per game so despite both teams scoring in the last four head-to-heads, the home side could struggle here.

Newcastle make the 720-mile round trip down to the south coast on Saturday evening where they’ll face a struggling Bournemouth side. The Toon Army have been one of the stories of the season thus far and I’m expecting another strong showing. They arrive here on the back of a 1-1 draw at home to West Ham but will no doubt fancy their chances against weaker opposition.

Having maintained their unbeaten run last weekend, it is now an incredible 16 games in a row that we’ve seen Newcastle avoid defeat! This outstanding form is no doubt just one of the reasons I’m backing them to win here. In opposition are the Cherries who are enduring one of their worst spells of the season at this moment in time.

They were edged out at the AMEX Stadium last week in a 1-0 defeat and this losing habit seems to have now become a theme. Only a single victory has been achieved in their previous 11 fixtures, 9 of which have been losses and I don’t see any sudden change in fortunes happening here.

So, this particular game sees the best defence in the league take on the worst defence in the league! The solid backline for the Magpies has rarely changed at all in the Premier League, with the consistent selection of Nick Pope, Dan Burn, Kieran Trippier, Sven Botman and Fabian Schar. The partnerships within the mentioned players have been simply outstanding.

A mere 12 goals have been shipped in total, with this averaging out at only 0.57 goals conceded per game. This no doubt is one of the main reasons they currently hold a Champions League qualification spot, flying high in 4th position. Another vital piece of the jigsaw for the away side has been the marked improvement of Brazilian, Joelinton. The dynamic box to box midfielder has been transformed by Eddie Howe and he’s put in some superb performances throughout the campaign. One of the key stats that displays how well he’s adapted into his new role is the number of successful tackles he has completed.

Not only is he the top of the pile within his team but is the 12th best in the league having completed 49 tackles in total. On top of this, he’s chipped in with 2 goals and an assist too! In attack we are set to see Callum Wilson once again, who notched his 7th of the season last time out. Further ammunition is available in Alexander Isak but he’s likely to begin from the bench, following the concussion substitution in the previous game.

The list goes for the away side here with numerous others in such excellent form. Providing Newcastle are true to form and can limit the visitors in front of goal by keeping a clean sheet or even conceding a single goal, I feel there’s more than enough in the tank for them to take all 3 points here.

The Cherries are sliding further down the table as things stand and it’ll take a huge effort from Gary O’Neil’s team to avoid relegation this season. As I previously mentioned, they’re on a torrid run right now having lost 9 of their last 11, scoring just 6 goals in this period. 3 of these goals came in their 4-3 loss at Elland Road on Bonfire Night, so it’ll be a big ask in front of goal against the clear best defence in the Premier League.

Although, they’ve made some Janaury signings in attack, I find it hard to envisage the likes of Antoine Semenyo, Dango Outtara or Hamed Traore firing them up the table. It may well take some time for them settle in, however there’s no such thing as time in the Premier League!

The underlying numbers do not make for good reading either, Bournemouth remain bottom of the xG table on 18.33 for the season, meaning that they’ve just about been better than the numbers suggest having scored 19 exactly. I feel this particular stat is an important one to note especially in terms of this fixture as they face the best defensive team in the competition.

More doom and gloom could well be on the cards here for Bournemouth and I’m backing the visitors to pounce! Back Newcastle to win and you’re set to have a great run for your money!