Newcastle United will be looking to pick up their second away win of the Premier League season when they face Southampton at St Mary's on Sunday, but they come into the clash with a dreadful record at the stadium.

The Magpies have won just one of their eight top flight fixtures on the south coast since the new ground opened in 2001, and they have lost on all of their last four visits to St Mary's.

The fact that they have conceded 13 goals – scoring just once in return – during those four defeats shows just how much of a bogey stadium it is for the Tyneside outfit.

However, Rafa Benitez's men have made a decent start to the Premier League campaign following their promotion from the Championship and as well as winning three of their seven matches, they drew 1-1 with Liverpool at St James' Park last time out.

They currently lie in ninth in the standings, three places and two points above Mauricio Pellegrino's Southampton, who have endured a disappointing start to their season with two victories, two draws and three reverses so far.

While the omens look to be against them, the Magpies do have many reasons to be a little cheerful ahead of the long trip south.

Here are three reasons Newcastle will end their St Mary's hoodoo with a win on Sunday…

Southampton's goalscoring woes

Southampton have recorded 4-0, 4-0 and 3-1 wins against Newcastle in the last three Premier League fixtures between the two teams at St Mary's, but it is difficult to see a repeat of any of those happening on Sunday.

Saints come into the clash with a number of worrying stats in terms of their goalscoring credentials, including the fact that they have failed to score in 10 of their last 15 top flight matches.

They have also not found the net in three of their four home league games this season, and that increases to four in five if you include the 2-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the EFL Cup, and nine of their last 10 stretching back to the end of the 2016/17 campaign.

With the south coast outfit struggling to find that spark in the final third and being so toothless in front of goal, the Magpies must frustrate their opponents and the St Mary's faithful in order to take full advantage on Sunday.

Newcastle's attacking abilities

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The fact that Newcastle know that one goal could be enough to see them take all three points at St Mary's on Sunday is certainly a massive boost, and they could easily find themselves in a similar situation to when they won 1-0 at Swansea last month.

With players like Joselu, Matt Ritchie, Christian Atsu and Jonjo Shelvey in their ranks – as well as the threat centre-back Jamaal Lascelles has already shown he provides from set-pieces this term – the Magpies certainly have the players to create and score at least one goal this weekend, and that might be all they need to secure the victory.

Battle of the tactics

Newcastle boss Rafa Benitez knows Mauricio Pellegrino well having had him as part of his coaching team during his time in charge of Liverpool, and that friendship could play a part in the game at St Mary's on Sunday.

Each manager will have more than an inkling of what the other is going to do, but with his experience in the game it will be the Spaniard that will be confident of out-thinking Pellegrino on the pitch and taking all three points.

Do you agree, Magpies fans? Let us know below.

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