Newcastle United 2-2 Southampton – Player Ratings

Steve McClaren's competitive Newcastle United career has started with a spirited draw against Ronald Koeman's Southampton. The Magpies came flying out the blocks against the Saints with a point to prove and pressed, counter-attacked and dominated possession for a good 15 minutes. Their new-season adrenaline rush was squashed by Graziano Pelle's towering header in which Chancel Mbemba - who jumped to his optimum height - was nowhere near even making a challenge. But, unlike many of the matches under Alan Pardew and John Carver, the positive passage of play returned to the Magpies after going a goal behind and a chested finish from Papiss Cisse and a bullet-header from Georginio Wijnaldum either side of half-time put the Magpies deservedly in front. From there, Newcastle battled every second ball and a refreshing tenacity swept across St James' Park as they searched for an opening-day win. Unfortunately their relentless pressing started to waiver and the Saints dominated a 10-minute second-half spell ending with Dusan Tadic's cross finding Shane Long's head and then the back of the net. From then, both teams looked happy to settle for a point and the game finished 2-2 despite Sadio Mane going extremely close in stoppage time. Here at WhatCulture.com/NUFC we rate all of the Newcastle players performances and analyse how they did against an extremely competent Southampton side. See how new boys Mitrovic, Wijnaldum and Mbemba all got on...