One game, one win, three points.
Ultimately, that’s all that matters for Newcastle United as they kicked off their Premier League season with victory, even if it was far from fluent of pretty.
The Magpies were played off the park in the opening half hour, before Fabian Schar was harshly shown a red card for a ‘headbutt’ on Southampton’s Ben Brereton Diaz.
However, that galvanised the 52,000 fans on Tyneside, and just before the break Joelinton netted what turned out to be the winner, as the Magpies put in a rear-guard action to deny the newly promoted side any share of the St James’ Park spoils.
It was a game full of action - and here’s the X best snaps from the day.
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1. Crowds full of new season excitement
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2. Big Joe
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3. Pope warms up
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4. Captain fantastic
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