Newcastle United boss Steve Bruce has had enough of what he labelled "conspiracy theories" over the reasons Graeme Jones has joined his coaching staff.
Jones arrived last week from Bournemouth to join Bruce's team at St James' Park, and helped coach Newcastle to a first win in 11 games when they beat Everton 2-0.
The Magpies failed to keep up that form however as they then went down to Crystal Palace in midweek, and now face Southampton – on the back of their 9-0 defeat at Old Trafford – on Saturday.
Jones has seemingly become an influential figure already at the club, but Bruce insisted the assistant has merely been brought in to add a fresh outlook.
"I reiterate again he was my first choice," said Bruce. "We were talking about him weeks ago when we first discussed bringing someone in to help us. I don't see what all the fuss is about. I wish I could put all these conspiracies to bed."
Newcastle face a Southampton team whose Premier League form has faded badly, and their thrashing at the hands of Manchester United was a fourth straight top-flight defeat.
Ralph Hasenhuttl's team have only won one of their last nine league games, but the Austrian insists he is feeling the support of everyone at the club as he aims to bounce back from a second 9-0 defeat in as many seasons.
"The support that I have seen so far from outside, I have never seen something like this in my managerial career and , so no, don't worry I don't want to resign my contract after this game," Hasenhuttl said. "Although it's a tough situation, I enjoy my job even more here and I know I'm in the right club and thank you for all this."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Newcastle United – Joe Willock
Signed on loan from Arsenal on deadline day, midfielder Willock seems set to be handed his Newcastle debut on Saturday, and should bring a vibrance and energy to the centre of the park.
Southampton – Danny Ings
Ings is on a barren spell in the league, having scored just once since December 7 – in Southampton's last win, against the striker's former club Liverpool, in January. If the Saints are to get out of their poor run, Ings will need to rediscover his goal-scoring touch.
KEY OPTA FACTS
• Southampton are looking to record only their third Premier League double over Newcastle, previously doing so in 1993-94 and 2014-15.
• Newcastle striker Callum Wilson has been directly involved in 15 Premier League goals in his first 20 appearances for the Magpies (10 goals, five assists), the most in a Newcastle player's first 20 games in the top-flight since Demba Ba in February 2012 (16 goals, one assist).
• Only Arsenal (12) have had more Premier League red cards since Ralph Hasenhuttl's first game in charge of Southampton in December 2018 than the Saints (eight).
• Jonjo Shelvey's strike in the second minute against Palace was Newcastle's third goal in the opening two minutes of a Premier League game this season – the last side with more in a season were Chelsea in 2014-15 (four).
• Southampton have not lost five consecutive league matches since September 1998 under Dave Jones, while this current four-game losing run is the longest in Hasenhuttl's league managerial career.
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