COMMENT by Russell Edge

Newcastle United twice let their lead slip as they played out a 1-1 draw with Southampton at St Mary's on Sunday.

Isaac Hayden and Ayoze Perez both gave Newcastle the lead but Manolo Gabbiadini twice pegged the Magpies back, the second a penalty after Florian Lejeune's foul on Shane Long.

Hayden was a surprise name in the starting XI, replacing firm fans' favourite Mikel Merino, while Lejuene was a replacement for former stalwart Ciaran Clark, both dropping to the bench.

It was an end-to-end match which saw both sides have chances in front of goal, Southampton passing up some clear opportunities while Newcastle saw the Saints deny them several times.

So what can fans of Newcastle take away from their side's performance on the south coast?

Here, Football Insider analyses three things learned about the Magpies in their victory at St Mary's, including one man whose performance should see his future in the starting XI come under serious doubt.

Click '2' below to see the first thing we learned in the win over Southampton

nextpage

Hayden proves Benitez's doubters right

It was a huge surprise when the team sheet came out and Hayden's name was there in place of Mikel Merino's, but he repaid his manager's faith with a sublime strike to give the Magpies the lead.

However he carried out his defensive responsibilities as well as he did those further up the pitch, hassling and harrying the Southampton midfield as he looked to disrupt the tempo.

Lining up alongside Jonjo Shelvey, it was a return to the midfield duo which saw Newcastle secure the Championship title, and it looks as though the duo will have no problems replicating their displays in the top flight.

Click '3' below to see the second thing we learned in the win over Southampton

nextpage

Lascelles the key man

Newcastle fans might have been surprised when they saw that Jamaal Lascelles' and Ciaran Clark's partnership at the heart of defence had been ended thanks to the return of Florian Lejeune.

However that didn't stop the former Nottingham Forest defender from putting in yet another high quality performance at the back.

He was constantly frustrating the Southampton attack with his resolute nature, putting in a series of blocks and interceptions to deny their chances on Rob Elliot's goal, and could do very little for either of the Saints' goals.

It should be a major boost for Benitez knowing that his captain can perform no matter who he lines up against, and with another impressive outing under his belt, he may well be catching the eye of more than just his own manager.

Click '4' below to see the third thing we learned in the win over Southampton

nextpage

Elliot future in serious doubt

Just as you think Elliot has proven Benitez wrong for searching for a goalkeeper over the summer, he comes up with a performance like this.

He has been a star player for the club and looked brilliant between the sticks in recent weeks, dominating his box and pulling off some crucial saves.

However his confidence looked rattled from the opening minute, missing a punch which could have seen Southampton take the lead, and his attempt to stop Manolo Gabbiadini's first goal looked sluggish, while he had no chance from the penalty.

Karl Darlow and Freddie Woodman are unlikely to usurp the Republic of Ireland international in the starting XI, so his spot should be safe until January, but after that there should be serious doubts.

In other Newcastle United news, fans were left raging after Benitez made this decision against the Saints.

We’ve launched a << BREAKING NEWS FEED>> exclusively for your club. ‘Like Us’ on Facebook by clicking here if you want 24/7 updates on all Newcastle United breaking news