Newcastle fly to Dubai on Sunday for a warm weather training break. John Carver - who turned 50 on Friday - will hope to board the plane celebrating his first victory since succeeding Alan Pardew in a caretaker capacity. Carver knows a win would enhance his chances of keeping the job until the end of the season but could have wished for less formidable opponents than Champions League challengers Southampton. Much may depend on the form of the returning Fraser Forster, the visiting goalkeeper and Newcastle academy graduate. Louise Taylor
Kick-off Saturday 5.30pm
Venue St James’ Park
Last season Newcastle Utd 1 Southampton 1
Live SS1
Referee R Madley
This season G5, Y19, R0, 3.8 cards per game
Odds H 12-5 A 11-8 D 12-5
Newcastle United
Subs from Elliot, Woodman, Streete, Haïdara, Ameobi, Abeid, R Taylor, Gutierrez, Satka, Vukic, Santon, Rivière
Doubtful Abeid (ankle), Eliot (hip), R Taylor (knee)
Injured Aarons (hamstring, 31 Jan), De Jong (thigh, 8 Feb), S Taylor (achilles, Aug), Alnwick (shoulder), Armstrong (foot), Obertan (thigh, all unknown)
Unavailable Cissé (Afcon), Tioté (Afcon)
Suspended None
Form LLLWDL
Discipline Y47 R3
Leading scorer Cissé 9
Southampton
Subs from K Davis, Gazzaniga, Gape, Cropper, Deager, McCarthy, Cork, Targett, McQueen, Isgrove, Long
Doubtful None
Injured Mané (calf, 24 Jan), Gallagher (knee, 1 Feb), Schneiderlin (groin, 1 Feb), Rodriguez (knee, 7 Feb), Alderweireld (hamstring, 11 Feb), Wanyama (hamstring, 21 Feb), Hesketh (knee, unknown)
Unavailable Yoshida (Asia Cup)
Suspended None
Form LWWDWW
Discipline Y33 R1
Leading scorer Pellè 8
