Brighton & Hove Albion will take on Newcastle United in a mouth-watering fixture when Premier League action resumes on Saturday, October 19.
Fabian Hurzeler’s side entered October’s international break in high spirits after pulling off a sensational fightback to beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 at the Amex Stadium.
Despite trailing their visitors by two goals at half-time, the Seagulls made it back-to-back home wins against Spurs with a scintillating second-half performance.
Summer arrivals Yankuba Minteh and Georginio Rutter initiated the comeback in the opening in the opening 15 minutes of the second half before long-serving stalwart Danny Welbeck completed the turnaround.
Ex-Manchester United defender Gary Neville labelled the Red Devils’ decision to sell the 33-year-old a decade ago as a mistake on the Stick to Football podcast.
Neville’s statement isn’t far from the truth, considering Erik ten Hag’s men are struggling in front of goal, while Welbeck has gone from strength to strength this season.
Welbeck’s four-goal haul in the Premier League is only one shy of United’s five after seven rounds, testifying to the veteran’s resurgence under Hurzeler.
The 31-year-old manager will hope his talismanic forward will maintain his prolific form when the Seagulls touch down at St James’ Park on Saturday afternoon.
Massive Task but Not Insurmountable
Except for a lacklustre 3-1 defeat at Fulham on matchday five, Newcastle have gone unbeaten in all six remaining league outings this season (W3, D3), entering the break level on points with Brighton.
With nothing but goal difference separating the two sides before the kick-off and the Magpies’ form in freefall after a three-game winless run (D2, L1), the Seagulls could use this occasion to build a buffer.
However, Brighton’s recent visits to this ground have often yielded upsetting results.
Before a 1-1 draw in May this year, the East Sussex outfit had lost back-to-back away games against Eddie Howe’s side via an aggregate 6-1 scoreline.
That highlights the size of the task awaiting Hurzeler’s lads this weekend.
Yet, it only tells half of the story.
Since earning top-flight promotion in 2017, Brighton had held Newcastle winless in their first four league encounters at this venue (W2, D2) before the abovementioned barren run ensued in 2022.
Defensive Crisis
It’s fair to say that Hurzeler has exceeded expectations during his early life as a Premier League manager.
He has galvanised a downtrodden team following Roberto De Zerbi’s underwhelming final season in charge, reinstating the Seagulls among England’s elite.
But there’s one glaring issue the up-and-coming tactician has yet to solve.
His men have started leaking goals at an alarming rate after conceding just twice in their first four league fixtures under the German coach.
Heading into October’s two-week hiatus, Brighton had conceded at least twice in four consecutive games across all competitions, including four in a 4-2 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Particularly vulnerable in the early stages, they allowed their opposition on the day to find the net inside 25 minutes in their last three Premier League outings.
On that basis, Hurzeler must stem the bleeding at the back.
What Would It Take to Win?
Luckily for Brighton, Newcastle’s frontline has stuttered of late.
Howe’s charges have netted an average of only 0.5 goals per game across their last four competitive encounters.
The Seagulls must use their hosts’ scoring woes to their advantage if they’re to post their first win at St James’ Park since 2020.
Adding to this sentiment, Brighton’s five unbeaten top-flight visits to Newcastle have seen them concede just once.
Moreover, the fact they’ve scored more than one goal just once in seven Premier League away clashes against the Magpies underscores the importance of stitching up their defensive gaps.
The rest would be on Hurzeler’s free-flowing attack.
With Brighton averaging three goals per match across their last four competitive clashes, it’s natural to assume the Seagulls would trouble the scoreboard more than once.
What the bookies think
- Newcastle – 19/20
- Draw – 11/4
- Brighton – 12/5
Odds are provided by Betway and are subject to change.
