[Albion] Brighton & Hove Albion vs Newcastle United *** Official Match Thread ***

[Dick Head]

Albion v Newcastle

PREMIER LEAGUE

Venue: The American Express Community Stadium
Date: Saturday 20th March 2021
Kick-off: 20:00 GMT
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Assistants: Gary Beswick, Adam Nunn
Fourth Official: Kevin Friend
VAR: Chris Stuart Attwell
Additional VAR: Stephen Child
​

TEAM NEWS

Brighton defender Dan Burn could be fit despite being substituted with a tight hamstring during last weekend's win over Southampton.

Head coach Graham Potter has no other fresh injury problems.

Newcastle midfielder Miguel Almiron might feature after a two-match absence because of a knee injury.

Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson remain out with injuries but the latter should be available immediately after the international break.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• 
  [*=left]Brighton have never lost to Newcastle in the Premier League (W3, D4).
  [*=left]Newcastle have scored just one goal in the past seven meetings.
  [*=left]Albion are looking to claim their first league double over Newcastle since the 1978-79 season in the second tier.
  [*=left]Newcastle have had only two victories in the last 15 encounters, both of which came in the Championship in 2016-17.

Albion

• 
  [*=left]Brighton could lose three consecutive home league games for the first time this season.
  [*=left]They have won just once in their last 18 Premier League home matches (D8, L9).
  [*=left]The Seagulls have scored just goals in their past five league fixtures at the Amex Stadium.
  [*=left]No Albion player has scored more than two league goals at home this season.
  [*=left]Seventy per cent of Brighton's Premier League victories have been by a one-goal margin (23 of 33).
  [*=left]Striker Neal Maupay has gone nine Premier League appearances without a goal.

Newcastle

• 
  [*=left]Newcastle have registered three successive league draws, their longest unbeaten run of the season.
  [*=left]They are winless in five games, scoring just three goals during that spell (D3, L2).
  [*=left]Only Southampton have earned fewer points in the Premier League than Newcastle's nine in 2021, with the Magpies losing eight of their 13 games this year (W2, D3).
  [*=left]Newcastle have not kept successive Premier League away clean sheets in a season since December 2013.
  [*=left]All three of Newcastle's Premier League away wins this campaign were by a 2-0 scoreline.

Graham Potter's Newcastle Press Conference

 

[Brok]

A win today would put us 4 points ahead of Newcastle, and 6 ahead of Fulham, with a game in hand.

Just saying...

 

[Solid at the back]

A crucial, must win game if we have any ambition of staying up this season. A repeat of last weekend, please. My only concern is our home form is diabolical

 

[Goldstone1976]

Betfair reckons we have a better chance of beating United at Old Trafford than Toon do of winning tonight. That’s not how I see it, but I hope they’re right.

 

[PeterOut]

"The Seagulls have scored just goals in their past five league fixtures at the Amex Stadium"

Thank goodness, I would not want them scoring anything else

 

[neilbard]

Betfair reckons we have a better chance of beating United at Old Trafford than Toon do of winning tonight. That’s not how I see it, but I hope they’re right.

Tough one call, I make it 43.83% home win, 28.66% away win and 27.51% a draw.

Brighton @ 1.7 are no value, the value is backing Newcastle @ 6.8 and the draw @ 3.65

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

After Fulham's defeat last night 3 points would take us a long way towards survival.

2 wins and 2 draws might now be enough. Today is a great chance to get 1 of those wins.

 

[Hugo Rune]

After Fulham's defeat last night 3 points would take us a long way towards survival.

2 wins and 2 draws might now be enough. Today is a great chance to get 1 of those wins.

I think it’s just 7 points needed now.

Fulham are draw specialists, 10 points from 8 games is the best I think they can do, especially as they still have Chelsea, Arsenal, Man Utd and Jack Grealish’s Aston Villa.

 

[Icy Gull]

Anyone else fearing we might carry on making life difficult for ourselves? A few said they didn’t watch the last game, how do you do that? The idea of finding something else to do at 8pm on a lockdown Saturday night is tough for me.

 

[neilbard]

I think it’s just 7 points needed now.

Fulham are draw specialists, 10 points from 8 games is the best I think they can do, especially as they still have Chelsea, Arsenal, Man Utd and Jack Grealish’s Aston Villa.

So are we 11 draws Brighton, 11 draws Fulham

 

[Perfidious Albion]

We often struggle with lower teams , and surprisingly can beat the better ones... Must change that today. We need this , we know it Potter knows it , the players must deliver.
Come on lads... prove we are not “southern softies” send them home pointless and their fans can cry into their pints of Newcastle Brown

 

[wunt be druv]

My blue and white striped Albion glasses see an early goal to make Newcastle have to attack, followed by a second and a third and a nice comfy home win, however, having supported Albion for more years than I can count, the cynic in me sees us huffing and puffing with loads of possession, getting nowhere and conceding a couple of sucker punch goals à la Palace match, fingers crossed it's the former rather than the later scenario!

 

[Guinness Boy]

Another game where the opposition will park the bus and we'll probably have around 60% possession and around 20 shots. Tonight, at least two of them have to go in. Have to.

 

[Beach Hut]

So excited

 

[rogersix]

A crucial, must win game if we have any ambition of staying up this season. A repeat of last weekend, please. My only concern is our home form is diabolical

it's not must win

 

[Muzzy]

If we miss any sitters again tonight I will probably Chuck the tv out of the window!

3-0 win please lads

 

[AmexRuislip]

Its gotta be an Albion win....

 

[Dick Head]

So excited

were loose

 

[AmexRuislip]

were loose

I thought you were having a pre thread lie in

 

[knocky1]

This is a damp squid compared to Fulham v Newcastle last game of the season.