Eljero Elia scored his first Premier League goals as Southampton passed another test of their top-four credentials by winning 2-1 at Newcastle United tonight.

An understrength Saints took the lead when Tim Krul let Elia's shot through him, but a highly-fortunate Yoan Gouffran goal brought the hosts level before the break.

Another deflection helped Elia restore Southampton's lead and they survived a late penalty appeal against Jose Fonte to reclaim third from Manchester United with a fifth win in six matches.

Troubled winger Elia, who joined on loan from Werder Bremen at the start of the January transfer window, rewarded manager Ronald Koeman for taking a chance on him with his maiden Saints goal on 14 minutes.

James Ward-Prowse collected Graziano Pelle's clever knockdown and released Elia into the area. The Dutchman was being forced away from goal by Daryl Janmaat, but squeezed a shot through Krul's weak attempted save.

Ward-Prowse nearly provided the visitors, who were without injured trio Morgan Schneiderlin, Victor Wanyama and Toby Alderweireld, with a second as Fonte headed over from his free kick from the right.

Newcastle are still looking for a first win under caretaker manager John Carver and equalised before the half-hour mark, but Gouffran needed a huge slice of luck to score his first goal since December 2013.

Fraser Forster and Florin Gardos both went to deal with Remy Cabella's through-ball to his French compatriot, and the Romanian defender's sliding clearance bounced off the knee of Gouffran and into the empty net.

The Magpies started the second half positively and came close through Gouffran and Ayoze Perez, only for the Saints to hit them with a sucker punch when Elia latched on to a flick-on from substitute Shane Long to strike past Krul via a ricochet off Janmaat.

Paul Dummett squandered a golden headed opportunity at the back post, but Newcastle felt that they should have had an even better chance to equalise when Fonte appeared to block Emmanuel Riviere's shot with his hand in stoppage time.

Referee Robert Madley waved away their strong penalty appeals as Carver's Newcastle lost for the third time on the bounce.