Bring on the Seagulls – Newcastle v Brighton preview | OneFootball

Newcastle v Brighton Preview.

Saturday 19th October = 3pm

After another tedious international break, Newcastle and Brighton get real football back underway with a traditional 3pm Saturday afternoon kick off at fortress St James’ Park this weekend.

NUFC are looking to continue their exceptional home form of being unbeaten in the past twelve league and cup matches they’ve hosted over the past nine months.

Brighton, on the other hand, will be looking to build on an amazing comeback in their last match, scoring three second half goals to beat Tottenham 3-2 and leapfrog the Toon into an impressive sixth place.

Both teams will be feeling quietly confident going into this one and are safe in the knowledge that a win would guarantee a place in the top five for a few hours at least.

Both teams go into this match with an identical record of played seven, won three, drawn three and lost just one.

Newcastle’s wins have come at home to Southampton and Tottenham and away to Wolves. We’ve also had a mixed bag of draws against Bournemouth, Man City and Everton, whilst tasting defeat in a poor performance away at Fulham.

Brighton’s victories have come at home to Man United and Tottenham, plus away at Everton. They’ve drawn with Arsenal, Forest and Ipswich, though lost away to Chelsea. At home, Newcastle have picked up seven points from a possible nine and progressed in the league cup, whereas on their travels, Brighton now have four points from three matches, making this one too close to call.

Last time out

Newcastle United had to be content with a point in a 0-0 draw away at Everton, despite being the better team throughout. Having a shot cleared off the line and missing a penalty in the first half were the fine margins that cost us two points. On the plus side, the performances appear to be improving each match.

Brighton probably showed the best and worst of themselves in their last match, being 2-0 down at home to Spurs before roaring back with three second half goals in an astonishing eighteen minute spell to secure an unlikely victory.

Stat attack!

In the last eight matches between the two sides at St James’ Park, Newcastle have won three (once in the championship) and drawn three, only losing to Brighton on two occasions.

Newcastle are unbeaten in their past three home matches against Brighton, scoring seven goals in two wins and a draw.

In fourteen premier league meetings with Brighton, Newcastle have won only twice and drawn on seven occasions.

The past thirteen matches between the two teams have produced four goalless draws.

Memorable match

In May 2023, Newcastle were on the verge of qualifying for the Champions League, knowing that a win at home to Brighton would go a long way towards ensuring a top four finish. This had been a tremendous season for the black and whites who had stormed their way to a number of high scoring victories. The Toon looked in the mood for this one right from the start and raced into a two-goal half-time lead through an own goal and a Dan Burn header.

The second half was a more nervy affair, especially when Brighton pulled one back and began pushing hard for an equaliser. Thankfully, Newcastle broke away in the last minute and Callum Wilson fired home to ensure victory for the black and whites who had barely finished celebrating, when Bruno put the gloss on the final score with another injury time strike to make it 4-1. Magic!

Played for both

All eyes this weekend will be on Minteh, who the Toon were scandalously forced into selling to meet financial restrictions.

This guy looked class when playing on loan for Feyenoord last season and opened his account for Brighton in the win against Tottenham. If he gets one over on his old club then it will certainly raise more than a few eyebrows given the farcical nature of his sale.

Big Dan Burn is a North East lad now playing for his hometown team. He hasn’t always been based in the area having spent four seasons with Brighton between 2018 and 2022. This connection however didn’t stop him celebrating scoring a bullet header against the seagulls in 2023.

Club legend Steve Harper kept goal for Brighton and Hove Albion for five games during a loan spell in 2011 and Kezenga Lua-Lua (remember him?) played for Brighton initially on loan from the Toon in 2010, before signing a permanent deal that led to an eight year affiliation with the seagulls.

Manager Chris Hughton didn’t play for the teams but did achieve promotion from the championship with both.

Memorably winning the league with the Toon in 2010 when only losing four matches in the entire campaign. The 2016/17 season was also a classic for NUFC – winning the league in the last minute of the last match of the season when Chris Hughton’s Brighton side conceded a late equaliser to Aston Villa, meaning they’d be promoted as runners up rather than champions.

Managers

Eddie Howe after the 0-0 draw with Everton:

“I thought we played well today without the final most important bit. They are a difficult team to contain. We were good with the ball until the final action. I was a lot happier. Our best away performance in a long time. I thought we controlled the game, I was pleased with the mentality. We can complain about not winning but you have to look at the performance overall and it is much better.”

Fabian Hurzeler after that 3-2 win over Tottenham:

Charity

Newcastle United fans food bank will once again be collecting opposite the Gallowgate end and gratefully receiving food, money and toiletries for those in need. Of particular interest are non-perishable food and drink items (such as noodles, pasta, rice, canned food, soup, cereal, cordial, long life milk etc) as well as toiletries such as shower gel, shampoo, toothpaste and sanitary products. Please give whatever you can, any donation is very much appreciated.

For further info and/or to donate online go HERE.

This is a very tough one to call.

I’m not a gambling man, but even if I was, I’d be leaving this one well alone!

I will however nail my colours firmly to the mast and go for a Newcastle victory. I’d be over the moon with a win from this one and plan to be partying long into the night. As such, I’m going for Toon 2-0 Brighton.