SAINTS ALIVE, RAFA’S GONE & BLOWN IT

‘Master’ Benitez gets big call wrong but ‘apprentice’ Pellegrino’s tactical attacking gamble comes off

THE master and student came face-to-face at St Mary’s, both with big calls to make on their teamsheet.

Mauricio Pellegrino, the student, finally solved his goalscoring problem by starting with two strikers.

His former mentor at Liverpool, Rafa Benitez, decided to recall centre-back Florian Lejeune – a move that ultimately backfired and caused the Toon and their army to retreat north with one point not three.

For a long time two up-top has seemed like the ideal solution to goal-shy Saints’ woes. It wasn’t quite a total tactical diversion from the usual – and it didn’t result in a victory.

But in both senses – Pellegrino’s line-up and the final result – it was a step in the right direction as Southampton fans saw some excitement at home and goals for just the second time in 10 St Mary’s league games.

That both of his frontmen, who took it in turn to lead the line rather than operate as a pairing, were so crucial to Saints rescuing a point also gave Pellegrino food for thought.

The recalled Manolo Gabbiadini, making his first start for over a month, scored twice and Shane Long’s trademark, tireless channel-running and chasing of lost causes paid off when he won the penalty which led to the Italian’s equaliser.

The draw was a convenient result in this battle between friends but a more satisfying point for apprentice Pellegrino than Benitez.

Frenchman Lejeune hadn’t started since being forced out of Newcastle’s opening-day defeat against Tottenham with an ankle injury.

He performed solidly until a needless challenge on Long gifted Gabbiadini the chance to make it 2-2.

Lejeune’s rush of blood denied Newcastle what would have been a fourth league win in six games, which would have seen them climb to seventh place.

Despite that missed opportunity, the early-season doom and gloom and concerns about Newcastle’s squad strength has gone quiet.

With their first attack of real note, Newcastle scored in the 20th minute.

Ayoze Perez did brilliantly down the left to keep the move alive after seeing his initial cross blocked. While lying on the ground he flicked the ball back to Matt Ritchie (below) whose cross looped into the air off Cedric Soares.

Christian Atsu met it with a sweetly struck volley that was goalbound until Maya Yoshida got in the way. But his block only sent the ball to Isaac Hayden who volleyed past Fraser Forster, the keeper unluckily wrongfooted as he scrambled back across goal after going for the initial effort.

For all their possession, Southampton offered little before or after going behind in the first half.

Dusan Tadic fired their first attempt over before sending a header from Nathan Redmond’s cross the same way. But from their first shot on target, in the 49th minute, Saints levelled when Gabbiadini made something out of very little.

He appeared to have nowhere to go when he latched onto Redmond’s long diagonal pass, with Javier Manquillo marshalling him away from danger.

But Gabbiadini waited after turning back towards goal until a gap appeared for him to squeeze a shot past Rob Elliot that took a little nick of Manquillo.

Southampton’s joy lasted just two minutes as Newcastle carved them apart with a flowing move that ended with Perez finding the net at the second attempt.

With 15 minutes left Gabbiadini made it 2-2 from the spot and Lejeune was denied the chance to make amends as Steven Davis hacked his header off the line.