Another half-chance for Newcastle, this time for Ayoze Perez who rather prods at the ball and it is easily dealt with by Alex McCarthy.

Southampton just haven't started. They have done nothing so far.

Two goals for Kenedy, both in the opening two minutes of matches.

BBC Sport app users may need to click on the link to see the tweet.

It might not have have been the cleanest finish Kenedy will ever make, but the first touch on the chest to give him space to turn past Cedric was a thing of beauty.

Dion Dublin
Ex-Aston Villa striker on Final Score

It's not an easy chance because Kenedy's got his back to goal but Cedric gets too tight and he turns him. He sort of scuffs it in but who cares?

Michael O'Neill
Northern Ireland manager on BBC Radio 5 live

Great ball from Jonjo Shelvey, Kenedy does well, great chest control. Not the greatest contact on the ball for the goal, but enough to beat the goal kepper. Dream start for Newcastle.

Image source, Reuters

Rafael Benitez's name is been sung by the home fans, and what a job he has done with off-field dramas of Mike Ashley wanting to sell the club, a failed takeover and no money spent during the January transfer window.

Nevertheless, Newcastle could jump up to 13th in the Premier League with a win today.

And it should be 2-0. A great pass forward from Jonjo Shelvey and Dwight Gayle looks to be through on goal.

But the first touch is not good enough and not what you would expect from a Premier League striker. The ball bounces off him and runs away into the hands of Alex McCarthy.

Chance wasted. Southampton look shell-shocked.

That is Kenedy's first goal since a loan move from Chelsea in January. A beautiful goal it was as well. Definitely one to watch on Match of the Day later on.

We're off. Newcastle start us off, launch it forward and the ball immediately goes out of play for a goal kick

Hopefully that is not a sign of what is in store for us today.

A reminder of how they line up. BBC Sport app users may need to click on the links to see the tweets.

A warm embrace between the two managers. Mauricio Pellegrino played under Benitez at Liverpool and Valencia.

Will the pupil get one over the teacher today?

Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino on Newcastle: "They are a very compact team, their fans always lift the team.

"They will be difficult to manage. Really good defensively and on the counter. But I think we are in a good moment and our players have been training very well, it will be a tough game for Newcastle too.

"It is interesting because both teams need to win. I can't imagine they will be comfortable with just one point."

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle manager Rafael Benitez said: "Every game is important for us. This is the most important because it is the next one.

"But until the end we must keep going. I hope we win, but until the last one that is what we will do. Every game is a final. We have a lot of games to play. The target is 40 points.

"Southampton are around us in the table, sometimes you can win even making mistakes. The Manchester United game was excellent, the atmosphere was great with the fans behind the team, we want to replicate that."

Image source, Getty Images

Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert

The Magpies never looked like scoring against Liverpool and the game was over as soon as the Reds went ahead.

But their whole approach will be very different this time and I am expecting an atmosphere to match at St James' Park because their fans know their home form will be crucial in keeping them up.

Prediction: 2-1

Lawro's full predictions v Justin Young & Arni Arnason from The Vaccines

• Think you can do better than Lawro? Predict the score for this match and the rest of this round's Premier League fixtures in our Predictor game

Image source, Getty Images

Danny Mills
Former England defender on BBC Radio 5 live

I've written so many teams off already this season, but that's how the bottom of the table has been. What a massive game this is.

If Newcastle win they go four points above Southampton. That's a massive gap and Southampton will start to worry. But if Southampton win they can go up four places above Swansea.

Image source, Getty Images

• Newcastle are on a run of seven games without a victory over Southampton in the Premier League. Their last win against the Saints was at St James' Park in 2013, when they triumphed 4-2.
• The Saints have only failed to score in one of their last 19 Premier League games against Newcastle, netting in each of the last 12.
• Mauricio Pellegrino was a player under Rafael Benitez at both Valencia and Liverpool, with the pair winning La Liga twice and the Uefa Cup with the Spanish club.

Newcastle

• Newcastle are on a run of five matches unbeaten at home in all competitions (won two, drew three), having lost their previous five at St James' Park.
• They have scored just 12 Premier League home goals this season - no side has netted fewer.
• There have been only seven goals in the last six Premier League fixtures at St James' Park, with no team scoring more than once in that period.

Southampton

• Southampton have won just once in their last 16 league games (drew nine, lost six) and have won just twice away from home in the league all season.
• However, they are unbeaten in their last four away games (won one, drew three) - only Tottenham (five matches) boast a better current run in the Premier League.
• No side has conceded more headed goals in the Premier League this season than Southampton (11). Five of the last nine goals they have conceded have been headers.

Image source, Getty Images

It is not always about football.

You may well have seen Southampton captain Ryan Bertrand on Football Focus earlier on today.

He was talking about the Grenfell fire disaster and how it resonated with him as he used to live in a similar tower block in London. He also talks about the apparent red tape the victims faced which compelled him to help them.

Watch a clip of Bertrand below.

As always we want you to get involved, so tweet us using the hashtag #bbcfootball and we will post your comments in this page.

Alistair Mann
MOTD commentator at St James' Park

Any meeting which pits the two sides immediately above the drop zone has genuine resonance but in the final quarter of the season, it can become pivotal.

With both Newcastle and Southampton realistically requiring at least three wins from their remaining nine games to stay up there's no better opposition to secure one of those against, with the psychological damage it inflicts as precious as the points themselves.

That said, neither can claim to have that winning habit; the hosts though can at least boast one league victory in their last seven matches, while the Saints have secured just one in 16!

In the circumstances, a nervy, yet truly enticing clash is assured.

Twitter: @alistairmann01, external

Image source, Getty Images