“Nobody knows it and it makes it difficult to speak about it but it is clear that everybody, not only me, was disappointed that this game didn’t happen.”
Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl did not hide his frustration earlier this season when asked about the Premier League's decision to postpone their home clash with Newcastle United. The Magpies were due to travel down to the south coast for their first fixture of 2022 on January 2, but it was called off on New Year's Eve following an application from the visitors.
It was a decision which saw Newcastle subjected to heavy criticism, with many suggesting it was a cynical ploy to allow Eddie Howe to fulfil the fixture with the expected January additions in his side. Hasenhuttl's call for any signings to be banned from the rearranged fixture was branded 'nonsense' by Jamie Carragher, but was backed by fellow Premier League manager David Moyes and pundit Paul Merson.
At the time of postponement, January represented the only hope of survival for a Newcastle side stuck in the relegation zone with just a solitary victory to their name. The win over Burnley was followed by a bruising run of away defeats to Leicester City, Liverpool and Manchester City.
Howe's side performed well in 1-1 draw with Manchester United at St James' Park on December 27, but the head coach warned his side were 'dangerously close' to being unable to fulfil their next fixture at Everton. Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson were both forced off against the Red Devils, joining a lengthy list already sidelined through either injury or positive Covid-19 diagnoses.
Newcastle did not identify those ruled out with illness, but saw postponement applications for clashes with Everton on December 30 and Southampton three days' later approved. The Premier League were satisfied the Magpies did not have the options available to satisfy the criteria for 13 available outfield players plus a goalkeeper.
Newcastle were not the only club to successfully request postponements in this period, with a host of top-flight rivals also rearranging fixtures as the country grappled with the Omicron variant. But it was an issue which proved a source of controversy, with prominent pundit Gary Neville claiming certain clubs were taking advantage of the rules in order to play their 'best' line-ups.
Fast forward two months, and it is fair to say the landscape ahead of the rearranged encounter has changed. Newcastle travel to the south coast hoping to extend an eight-match unbeaten run in the top flight which has lifted the club seven points clear of the bottom three.
The Magpies managed to land five January recruits in the chaotic mid-season window, and this business preceded a run of four wins in five matches. Critics who insist the spend in excess of £90m is the sole reason for this remarkable turnaround have ignored the improvement in the likes of Ryan Fraser, Joelinton, Fabian Schar and Joe Willock.
Hasenhuttl's fears over postponement have been realised in certain respects. The Premier League have not been kind to Newcastle with their rescheduling, but only Liverpool sit above Howe's side in the form table.
Howe could rotate his starting eleven in the face of a run of three away fixtures in just eight days, but January signings Dan Burn, Bruno Guimaraes, Matt Targett and Chris Wood could all feature at St Mary's Stadium. Kieran Trippier will miss the contest with a foot injury, but it will certainly prove a sore point if any of the aforementioned four play a decisive role in another positive result for the Magpies.
However, while Hasenhuttl doubled down on these concerns in his press conference on Wednesday, the Saints boss accepted the 68-day delay has also proven to be an advantage for the hosts. Newcastle's form has dominated the pre-match headlines, but Southampton have moved into mid-table after forging an impressive home record.
Had the original fixture gone ahead, the hosts would have been attempting to reverse a run of just one win in eight matches. Instead, the Saints will now be looking to extend an unbeaten home run which stretches back to September.
Hasenhuttl's side have lost just twice since the turn of the year, and booked their place in the FA Cup sixth round last week despite making nine changes for their 3-1 victory over West Ham. Teenage prospect Will Armitage was the only January arrival, although Serbian tycoon Dragan Solak did complete his £100m takeover of the club five days after the postponement.
Southampton did suffer a four-goal thrashing at Aston Villa in their last outing, but Hasenhuttl acknowledged his side were in better shape for the rearranged clash. He told reporters: "We are also better than we were two months ago and we are ready for the challenge.
“No matter with what players are coming here we are looking forward to playing at our home ground, with our crowd behind us. We have a good atmosphere at our stadium, a good run there and we are going there with the belief and sure that we can show a reaction.”
Newcastle carried out the 'expected' January business, and unquestionably will pose a tougher test on Thursday night. However, having seen his calls for signed players to be banned from rescheduled fixtures fall on deaf ears, Hasenhuttl's own admission has proven the Magpies are not the only side to benefit from the postponement.
