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Season 2023-24
Brighton & Hove Albion (h) Premier League

 


Date:
Saturday 11th May 2024, 3pm
(not on live UK TV)

Venue:
St. James' Park

Conditions: Anti-climactic
 



Newcastle

Brighton & 
Hove Albion

 

1 - 1


 

Teams

Goals

18 mins  Pascal Gross's right wing corner was headed on by Danny Welbeck for Joel Veltman to fire home from close range at the Leazes End - Jacob Murphy making a failed attempt to block. 0-1

45+5 mins Anthony Gordon moved across the box and played a reverse pass for Elliot Anderson to centre and Sean Longstaff to fire home first time into the Gallowgate End goal.  1-1

Half time: Magpies 1 Seagulls 1

Full time: Magpies 1 Seagulls 1

We Said


Eddie Howe said:

"Tough game, we knew it would be, Brighton are always difficult opponents.

"I don't think we hit the heights we needed to win it but, if anyone was going to, I thought it would be us.

"Poor goal (to concede) from us, we did start well, we were progressive and out of nothing they take the lead. I'm just disappointed with our product around the box and there probably weren't enough clear-cut chances.

"Without a doubt the scene, the environment created by the supporters (has helped). Even when Brighton scored they got right behind the team but we just couldn't find that winning goal. They have made this place a really difficult place to play. This season the crowd have taken it to another level.

"If you're not going to win the game, the draw for us is really important. I think it could be a valuable point for us. The performance was good. I have no issues with our general play. 

"Disappointed with the goal we conceded because Brighton are a tough team to play against and the game became a lot harder from that moment. Credit to the players, though, for how they kept going.

"I was very pleased with our goal, I thought that might give us the momentum needed to go and win the game but it just didn't happen.

"Alexander (Isak) wasn't feeling very well yesterday. I took the decision to look after him with a three-game week in mind. You could see he wasn't at full tilt today. 

"Callum
(Wilson) also had a little bit of illness, feeling not great in his body so hopefully we'll have him back.

"Two huge games (remain). The Manchester United game is set up perfectly, that will be massive for us. We'll give everything we can to try and get a positive result. Brentford will take care of itself on the last day. 

"As we've said all along, it's probably going to go right until the end."


They Said

 

Roberto De Zerbi said:

"I'm really pleased with the performance. We could have won the game, we could have lost the game. We played against one of the best teams in terms of physical condition in this moment.

"It is important the point, especially in this stadium. I think St James' Park is the best stadium in the Premier League. I have twice been in this stadium and both times it was an incredible atmosphere. I don't know if the other games at home they have this atmosphere as well. 

"The level of difficulty of this game was high: we played in our style. with courage and ideas. We are not in the best moment in my time but we have to play with personality and ideas and I’m pleased we did that today.

"We suffered in the last 25 minutes and their four changes made a difference. We changed young players so we suffered too much but we should be proud of the performance.

"We have two games at home and we'd like to finish in the top 10. It's the first time we've played in Europe this season. It's not a big, big result but if you consider how many injuries we've had, finishing in the top 10 would be a great result and better than last season."

Stats


Newcastle completed the feat of netting in every home game for the first time in a PL season (19 games). That's the first time they've done so in a top-flight campaign since 1958/59 (21 games) and in any season since the Second Division campaign of 1982/83 (21 games).

United reached their highest PL home points total in a season since 2002/03:

1995/96 52 points
1994/95 48 points *
2002/03 47 points
1993/94 46 points *
1996/97 42 points
2023/24 40 points
2001/02 39 points
2022/23 39 points
2021/22 30 points

* 21 home game seasons, others 19

And scored the highest number of PL goals at SJP in a season since 1996/97:

1996/97 54
1993/94 51*
2023/24 49
1994/95 46*
1999/00 42
2010/11 41
2001/02 40
1995/96 38
2002/03 36
2022/23 36

* 21 home game seasons, others 19

Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak both reached 50 PL appearances for the Magpies.

Sean Longstaff
's sixth PL strike of 2023/24 extends his seasonal record in all competitions to eight - equal with his combined tally in the previous five seasons of senior service to United. After his effort at Burnley last week, this is the first time he's netted for Newcastle in successive games.

Lobby's ten PL career goals take him level with colleagues Jacob Murphy and Jamaal Lascelles and former Magpies Leon Best, Nicos Dabizas, Robbie Elliott, Paul Kitson and Aleksandar Mitrovic.


Seagulls @ SJP - all-time:

2023/24 drew 1-1 Longstaff (PL)
2022/23
won 4-1 OG, Burn, Wilson, Guimaraes (PL)
2021/22 won 2-1 Fraser, Schar (PL)
2020/21 lost 0-3 (PL)
2019/20 drew 0-0 (PL)
2018/19 lost 0-1 (PL)
2017/18 drew 0-0 (PL)
2016/17 won 2-0 Lascelles, Shelvey (Ch)
1991/92 lost 0-1 (D2)
1990/91 drew 0-0 (D2)
1989/90 won 2-0 Gallacher, Quinn (D2)
1985/86 lost 0-2 (FAC)
1983/84 won 3-1 Keegan, Waddle, Beardsley (D2)
1982/83 lost 0-1 (FAC)
1978/79 lost 1-3 Shoulder (D2)
1961/62 won 5-0 Leek 3, Tuohy, Hale (D2)
1929/30 won 3-0 Gallacher 3 (FAC)

Closing home game results - PL era:

2023/24 Brighton drew 1-1
2022/23
Leicester City drew 0-0
2021/22 Arsenal won 2-0
2020/21 Sheffield United won 1-0
2019/20 Liverpool lost 1-3
2018/19 Liverpool lost 2-3
2017/18 Chelsea won 3-0
2016/17 Barnsley won 3-0 (Ch)
2015/16 Spurs won 5-1
2014/15 West Ham won 2-0
2013/14 Cardiff City won 3-0
2012/13 Arsenal lost 0-1
2011/12 Manchester City lost 0-2
2010/11 West Bromwich Albion drew 3-3
2009/10 Ipswich Town drew 2-2 (Ch)
2008/09 Fulham lost 0-1
2007/08 Chelsea lost 0-2
2006/07 Blackburn Rovers lost 0-2
2005/06 Chelsea won 1-0
2004/05 Chelsea drew 1-1
2003/04 Wolves drew 1-1
2002/03 Birmingham City won 1-0
2001/02 West Ham won 3-1
2000/01 Aston Villa won 3-0
1999/00 Arsenal won 4-2
1998/99 Blackburn Rovers drew 1-1
1997/98 Chelsea won 3-1
1996/97 Nottingham Forest won 5-0
1995/96 Spurs drew 1-1
1994/95 Crystal Palace won 3-2
1993/94 Arsenal won 2-0



Waffle

Songs were sung, flags fluttered and a sunny St.James' Park looked picture perfect as the first whistle sounded in an eagerly-awaited seasonal finale on home turf.

Not for the first time though, what followed was 90 minutes-plus of false hope and frustration; a perennial trademark to many present, but maybe less familiar to some of our new-found following.

Unlike the draw against Leicester City that rounded off last season's home programme, today's stalemate left Newcastle's hopes of European qualification hanging in the balance.

That task was never going to be decided today regardless of the scoreline, but there was something approaching a reasonable expectation that a depleted Brighton side would yield three points to further strengthen our hopes of returning to the continent for a second successive season.  

Recovering from going behind at least - a welcome trait we've developed this season - gained the point that means Eddie Howe's side go into their final two games holding on to sixth position - Wednesday's showdown at Old Trafford assuming epic, if not decisive, proportions.

A Seagulls side with nothing to play for were robust opponents; difficult to handle in possession and given free rein to waste time throughout the afternoon by some weak officiating.

Albion went ahead on 17 minutes when Pascal Gross's right wing corner was headed on by Danny Welbeck for Joel Veltman to fire home from close range at the Leazes End - Jacob Murphy making a failed attempt to block.

The visitors then came close to doubling that lead when Simon Adringa was able to centre from the left side of the box for Julio Enciso to wastefully head over. 

Half-chances for Alexander Isak and Sean Longstaff were rare moments of optimism for a labouring Magpies side, but they went in level after Anthony Gordon moved across the box and played a reverse pass for Elliot Anderson to centre and Longstaff to fire home first time.

1-1 at the start of the second period, hopes that the hosts had shaken off their lethargy proved false - Brighton threatening whenever they outwitted the press, Newcastle frustratingly unable to vary an approach of breaking down the right and making failed attempts to find colleagues in the opposition area.

A below-par Isak came off as part of the treble switch midway through the half - later confirmed to have been less than 100% but unlike the similarly-stricken Callum Wilson, able to feature. Whether Wilson's season is over remains to be seen, but Isak should be able to resume next time against Manchester United.

The arrival of Joelinton, Miggy Almiron and Harvey Barnes increased the frequency and rapidity of United's attacks, but visiting goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen remained almost completely untested. 

Inspirational moments for once eluded Bruno Guimaraes, while the best two late chances fell to Barnes - who put one in the stand and the other weakly into the goalkeeper's arms.

Hope that Almiron had forced a breakthrough in the 87th minute was soon foiled by a raised offside flag against the Paraguayan as Gordon walked the ball home. Then came a hopeful penalty appeal by Gordon before Almiron went over on the edge of the box in added time - and was booked for a dive.

Following the full time whistle, players and their families embarked on the traditional end of season traipse round the SJP pitch - rightfully receiving adulation for their efforts during an epic season, regardless of how many competitions they end up in next time round.

Much still remains to be sorted though in our final two away games on Wednesday and Sunday: a three horse race between ourselves, Chelsea and Manchester United for two European spots,

Arsenal's 1-0 win at Old Trafford on Sunday means a draw there on Wednesday will ensure no lower than a seventh placed finish. However, the scenario of the Red Devils nabbing a place by defeating Manchester City in the FA Cup Final remains: our fate still may not be settled by next Sunday.

Biffa


 



Page last updated 29 September, 2024