Team news, stats and prediction ahead of Southampton vs Newcastle in the Premier League on Friday; kick-off 8pm.

Team news

Southampton will be without Danny Ings for their Premier League clash against Newcastle on Friday. The England international has undergone knee surgery and is expected to be out for up to six weeks.

Ryan Bertrand (hamstring), Jan Bednarek (head) and Ibrahima Diallo (dead leg) could also be absent from Southampton's squad.

• Two channels for the price of one - 146 live PL games + EFL for just £18 p/m
• Get a NOW TV Sky Sports pass | Sign up for PL goal alerts
• Premier League news | Fixtures | Table | Live on Sky

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Newcastle head coach Steve Bruce has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the trip.

Skipper Jamaal Lascelles played the full 90 minutes in Sunday's 2-1 home win over Everton after shaking off a foot injury and emerged unscathed. Martin Dubravka (ankle), Jonjo Shelvey (hernia surgery) and Matt Ritchie (shoulder) and Dwight Gayle (knee) remain on the sidelines, but are working their way back towards fitness.

Listen to the Sky Sports Pitch to Post Podcast on: Spotify | Apple | Castbox

How to follow

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Southampton vs Newcastle will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League from 7.30pm on Friday Night Football; kick-off at 8pm. Sky Sports customers can watch in-game clips in the live match blog on the Sky Sports website and app. Highlights will also be published on the Sky Sports digital platforms and the Sky Sports Football YouTube channel shortly after the final whistle.

• Get Sky Sports | Get NOW TV day pass for £9.99

Live FNF

Jones Knows' prediction

If Southampton win here, they will finish a day top of the Premier League for the very first time.

Last time they ended a day top of a league was back in 1988 when Phil Collins was topping the charts with 'A Groovy Kind Of Love' - a fitting way to describe my feeling towards Ralph Hasenhuttl.

'Sir Ralph' has an opportunity to get where he belongs on Friday night: top of the pile.

I'm fully invested in his managerial ability. If he takes Southampton places, he will take me along with them. Aston Villa got 'Hasenhuttled' last weekend courtesy of some rip-roaring midfield play and sensational finishing from James Ward-Prowse and Danny Ings. The striker will be a big miss over the next six weeks but it's not a worry for this game.

Newcastle continue to defy the performance metrics to pick up points. They have scored 10 goals from 18 shots on target this season - no side have had fewer efforts on target in the Premier League. Also, they have faced 117 shots this season - 13 more than any other side. It's an unsustainable model. They do not scare me. Ralph will find a way through.

JONES KNOWS PREDICTS: 2-0 (8/1 with Sky Bet)

Opta stats

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

• After a seven-game unbeaten run against Newcastle in the Premier League between December 2013 and October 2017 (W4 D3), Southampton have lost four of their last five against the Magpies in the competition (D1).
• Newcastle won this exact fixture 1-0 last season, their first away league win against Southampton since September 2004. They've never won back-to-back visits to Saints in league competition.
• Victory for Southampton would see them finish a day top of the Premier League for the very first time. Indeed, the last time Saints ended a day at the summit of the top-flight table was back in September 1988 under Chris Nicholl.
• Southampton have won four of their last six Premier League home games (D1 L1), as many as they had in their previous 18 at St Mary's (W4 D4 L10).
• Newcastle are unbeaten in their last four Premier League away games (W1 D3), winning once and drawing twice on the road so far this term. They last had a longer run without an away Premier League defeat between May-October 2011 (6 games), while 2011-12 was the last time they remained unbeaten in their opening four Premier League away games.
• Southampton's James Ward-Prowse has been involved in four goals in his last two Premier League games (3 goals, 1 assist), more than he had in his previous 28 in the competition (1 goal, 2 assists). 32% of his Premier League goals have been from direct free-kicks (8/25); only two players have a higher such ratio with at least 25 goals scored - Seb Larsson, 42 per cent (11/26) and Ian Harte, 36% (10/28).
• Callum Wilson has scored six goals in his seven Premier League appearances for Newcastle, more than he had in his final 30 for Bournemouth in the competition (5). These six goals have been worth six points to Newcastle so far.

Pitch to Post Preview Podcast: Jamie Carragher on Man City v Liverpool; Steve Bruce on Callum Wilson; Chelsea's title chances assessed

Jamie Carragher and Steve Bruce are among the guests on this week's Pitch to Post Preview Podcast.

Sky Sports pundit Carragher joins Peter Smith and Adam Bate to look ahead to the big Super Sunday clash between Man City and Liverpool, while Steve Bruce is on the line to discuss Newcastle's Friday Night Football trip to Southampton and the form of star striker Callum Wilson.

Also on the show we analyse how Chelsea have turned around their defensive problems, how Leicester have coped with injury problems, and Adam makes a bold Pitch.

Listen to the Sky Sports Pitch to Post Podcast on: Spotify | Apple | Castbox

Win £250,000 for free!

Do not miss your chance to land the £250,000 in this weekend's Super 6 round. Play for free, entries by 3pm.