3 Head-To-Head Battles That Will Decide Newcastle United Vs Southampton

1. ATTACK - Papiss Cisse (NUFC) Vs Graziano Pelle (Saints)

Steve McClaren has refused to confirm whether he will start Papiss Cisse or Aleksandar Mitrovic against Southampton - suggesting he may even pair both up top - but the likelihood is that the Magpies' top scorer last season will find himself in the Toon's XI. Graziano Pelle, meanwhile, is almost certain to lead the Saints' line, with Jay Rodriguez slowly recovering fitness after a long-term injury. Both returned more than 10 goals in the Premier League last season - and it is Cisse's stats that are the most impressive. In 22 appearances (11 starts, 11 off the bench) Cisse netted 11 times, effectively keeping the Magpies in the Premier League all by himself. That compares to Pelle's 12 from 38 appearances (37 starts, one off the bench) - including two against Newcastle in the 4-0 demolition at St Mary's. Interestingly though, Pelle's goals dried up quickly after a super-fast start to the campaign.

In terms of providing goals for their teammates, neither are particularly successful at this, with Cisse assisting just once and Pelle twice last season. Key passes wise, Pelle is far-more effective than Cisse - providing 1.1 per game, compared to the Senegalese' 0.3 - and the Italian also has more shots per match than the Magpies forward (3.2 to 2). Bizarrely, Pelle averages more offsides per game than Cisse (0.4 to 0.7) - despite Newcastle's Senegalese forward seemingly being flagged on a regular basis.

Verdict: Pelle, just. The only thing that separates them is that Pelle has had competitive action already this season and has found the back of the net against Vitesse Arnhem, while Cisse still does not look match sharp. On saying that, Cisse netted 11 last season when clearly unfit, so he cannot be dismissed out of hand ahead of the weekend. For all the latest NUFC News, Views and Transfers make sure to follow WhatCulture.com/NUFC on Twitter and Facebook.