IT might well be early in the campaign but Saints already have what looks to be a potentially season-defining match ahead of them.

If they can defeat Newcastle at St Mary’s on Saturday it will ease so many worries, and put them in position to try and navigate their way to a brighter future over the next six months.

Anything else and it will begin to feel as if there is little chance of the club escaping another nervous year fearing for their Premier League future.

Saints go into the game as the favourites, and with some justifiable optimism.

The performance against Bournemouth was much better, and there just seems to be a little more fire in the eyes of the squad after the latest international break.

That Mark Hughes hit upon something that produced a decent showing also gives him the chance to stick with it and that consistency is something that could prove important.

It also seems the perfect time to play Newcastle. They look to be all at sea.

You could have cut them a bit of slack before last weekend.

After all, they did have to play five of the top six in their opening eight matches.

That is about as tough a start to a season as you could wish for and was never likely to yield many points.

However, defeat at home to Brighton has really turned up the fear factor on Tyneside.

It is unfortunate for the Magpies. When you are presented with a run of games like they had, you are always likely to get downward momentum early on, which is hard to turn around. Also, there is added pressure.

Inevitably you are going to be near the bottom so as soon as you face teams outside of the top six the emphasis on having to win is greater, which in turn makes it even harder.

You can argue the toss, though, as to which team is under greater pressure this weekend.

Newcastle will be desperate to climb off the bottom of the Premier League table, but they are at least away from home.

Saints on the other hand know how important a win is.

If you believe the old adage that the table takes shape after ten games, then they don’t want to head to Man City with six or seven points.

They also have the weight of expectation of supporters who are desperate to finally see another win at St Mary’s.

It is beginning to edge ever nearer to being one home league win in a full year for Saints. It’s a sorry tale. Indeed, that is probably rather generous language considering just how woeful that record is.

It’s too early in the season for the game to billed as do or die, but few people around the club will underestimate just how vital this fixture is. Three points, however they come, is all that matters.