Brighton (A): Pre-match thoughts, team news & predicted line-ups

With three wins on the spin and the wind in our sales, we travel to the Amex tomorrow to take on Brighton. A first for this fixture in the Premier League era, yet one we have such fond memories of from just over six months ago.

After a season of slugging it out twice a week in England’s second tier, it’s nice to see us both meet in the top flight. A richly deserved reward for a sapping yet successful season in the Championship.

Now to the Premier League and what a start it’s been! We may have had ‘winnable’ fixtures since Spurs on the opening day, but we’ve dug in, done our jobs and looked anything but out of our depth in earning a precious 9 points so far.

My feet are firmly on the floor. Being 4th in the league and 12 places above tomorrow’s opponents does nothing to tell me this is a nailed on three points. Like Swansea away, we’ll have to work for everything and anything we’ll get.

The Team

Defensively I don’t see much changing. Lascelles and Clark have been rock solid and that continuing could have a big bearing on the result tomorrow, whilst Yedlin and Mbemba should continue at right and left-back. Perhaps a tad harsh on Manquillo and Gamez who did solid jobs in our last away win at Swansea, but Yedlin and Mbemba seem fair first choice options when fit.

Merino and Hayden have started in midfield during each and every one of our last three, meaning Benitez is unlikely to break up a winning formula to bring Jonjo Shelvey back into the fold.

Ritchie and Atsu were instrumental once again in the win over Stoke and will almost certainly continue out wide, whilst Perez had one of his busier games last Saturday and should continue in the 10 role, being a player who’ll have fond memories of the Amex after his heroics earlier this year.

Joselu missed a hatful of chances against Stoke meaning his confidence in front of goal may be fragile, however he does hold the ball up well and for this reason deserves another shot up front. In a game where chances could be few and far between, some may prefer to see Gayle given the nod, but Joselu’s presence and involvement up top gives him the edge for me – providing he does find his feet in front of goal.

The Opposition

New boy Pascall Gross could be the main man to watch our for tomorrow. The German ‘number 10’ has been directly involved in every goal they’ve scored so far this season, scoring twice in their 3-1 win over West Brom last time out at the Amex.

He created more chances than any other player in the Bundesliga last season (and incredible stat given he played for lower league side Ingolstadt) and his running stats so far this season have been equally impressive, with only Liverpool’s James Milner having covered more ground.

Then there’s Anthony Knockaert. Last season’s Championship player of the year has done nothing of note so far this season but, after 15 goals and 8 assists last season, we’ve seen first hand what he’s capable of. Paul Dummett got the better of him on both occasions last season, but it’ll likely be Chancel Mbemba who’s handed that task tomorrow. It’ll be a big help if we can keep him quiet again.

At the back they’re pretty organised and plucky. Centre-halves Duffy and Dunk are big units and dominant in both boxes. It could be a real physical battle for Joselu up top, however they might be having the same thoughts about Lascelles, who’ll be looking to make it three goals in three!

In goal for them it’s likely to be new-boy Matthew Ryan, with Krul unlikely to start by all accounts.

From what I’ve read, Ryan got a bit of stick after a few early season errors and, at just 6ft, there’s been concerns voiced over his size. Firing some early shots at him and getting balls into the box could be the order of the day tomorrow.

For a closer look at tomorrow’s opponents, see our weekly feature ‘The Opposition Opinion’ which can be found on our home page. Here we’ve been speaking to Brighton fan Kieron, who has offered some insight into the Brighton side, his thoughts on NUFC and how he thinks the game may pan out tomorrow.

Form

Brighton (16th) – Last 5 in the league – Won: 1 / Drawn: 1 / Lost: 3

 

Newcastle (4th) –Last 5 in the league /  Won: 3 / Drawn: 0 / Lost: 2

Team News

Florian Lejeune looks likely to miss out after receiving treatment on his ankle, whilst the only other players unavailable through injury are Paul Dummett and Massaido Haidara. Aleksandar Mitrovic will miss out for the final time before returning from his 3-match ban against Liverpool next weekend.

Other than that, there’s little news on the injury which makes a nice change, giving Rafa a few nice problems to have ahead of his team selection tomorrow afternoon.

For Brighton, Hughton welcomes back club-captain Bruno, last season’s top scorer Glenn Murray, Chelsea loanee Izzy Brown and left-back Gaetan Bong, however it’s likely that only Bruno returns to their starting 11.

Midfielder Steve Sidwell is out with a back problem, with fellow midfielder Beram Kayal a long-term absentee as he recovers from a broken leg, leaving Hughton short of options in centre-midfield.

 

Predicted Line-ups

Newcastle United XI – (4-2-3-1) – Elliot – Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Mbemba – Hayden, Merino – Ritchie, Perez , Atsu – Joselu (*Unchanged from Stoke*)

Brighton XI (4-4-1-1) – Ryan – Bruno, Duffy, Dunk, Suttner– Knockaert, Propper, Stephens, March – Gross – Hemed.

Head-to-Heads

Our first meeting in the Premier League era, but a fixture that we’ve enjoyed in more recent history, with us doing the double on the Seagulls in the Championship last season. Diame’s unintended leveller and Perez’s late winner capped a monumental moment in our season earlier this year and more of the same tomorrow would go down a treat once again on Tyneside.

Match Prediction

Brighton beat West Brom 3-1 in their last outing at the Amex. It gave them their first win of the new Premier League season and a much needed confidence booster, but since then they’ve been beaten twice at Bournemouth in the space of a week.

They’ll be bang up for this one for obvious reasons, but we could be the side with the spring in their step after three straight wins, having also had more time to prepare and our feet up on Tuesday night while they went out of the Carabo Cup to Bournemouth in extra time.

I think it’ll be tight and tense, but fear our winning streak may just end here with a battling draw. A result that’d bother Brighton more than Benitez.

Prediction: Brighton 1-1 Newcastle.

Howay the lads!

(Fancy writing for us? Send any articles/ideas over to us at [email protected] & we’ll get back to you!)

About Olly Hawkins

As a Junior Magpie since birth and season ticket holder, I eat, sleep and breathe all things NUFC! Here at the blog, I aim to bring you news, views, match reports and transfer exclusives as and when I get them.

104 thoughts on “Brighton (A): Pre-match thoughts, team news & predicted line-ups

  1. Cheers Olly. Agree with most of that, but I see Brighton struggling this season. Going for 1-0 to the Toon. Classic away day countering to win the day. Then back down to Earth next week against Liverpool.

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  2. Thanks Olly, good preview. I agree with you too, I would hope Joselu gets the nod, think he was trying too hard against his former club last week that’s all. Would love another win but will be happy enough with a draw given some of the talent they have and it being away too.

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  3. Palace in trouble now I think… another match with zero goals. 5-0. Not quite what Eric wanted but not far wrong…

    Another loss for the mackems … the championship is proving a tad difficult for them… relegation zone for them. Early days I know, but it will be hard for them now. ??

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  4. Would like to see Shelvey in place of Perez but cannot see it happening ,hope ERIC keeps getting his forecasts right

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  5. Dubai Toon:
    Palace in trouble now I think… another match with zero goals. 5-0. Not quite what Eric wanted but not far wrong…

    Another loss for the mackems … the championship is proving a tad difficult for them… relegation zone for them. Early days I know, but it will be hard for them now.

    Well hey won’t be back anytime soon that’s for sure. As for Palace, they look doomed already .

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  6. Icedog:
    Would like to see Shelvey in place of Perez but cannot see it happening ,hope ERIC keeps getting his forecasts right

    I doubt it Ice Mate, my forecast is 1 and a half nil to the Toon.

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  7. Well a win tomorrow will take us back up to 4th place… won’t be easy though tomorrow.

    Are we at home to Liverpool the week after, or away? Can’t remember?

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  8. Dubai Toon:
    Well a win tomorrow will take us back up to 4th place… won’t be easy though tomorrow.

    Are we at home to Liverpool the week after, or away? Can’t remember?

    Home mate

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  9. Sorry to bore everybody with Palace talk but their fans were just total wankers when Pards got off to a good start that I can’t help but rub it in. Chelsea won 4-0 away. So that’s just Man U away and a London Derby coming up for them 🙂

    And then, after 8 defeats in a row they have the mighty Toon. Do they have boat rides on the Tyne that Mr. Roy and Ray Lewington could take before the game?

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  10. Olly: you say in your preview that you don’t see the back four changing and then you change it to include Manquillo instead of Yedlin?

    Anyway, back to karma. Mackems in bottom 3 🙂

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  11. Well I for one would love to see the Scum go down again. Proper dose of humility for them and finally end their ridiculous claim that they are the best side in the NE. Never have been (at least in modern times) and never will be.

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  12. Agree with Eric re: Palace. Looking forward to seeing them drop. Hope Bournemouth can pull themselves out the sh!!.

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  13. I didn’t think it could get much worse for the Mackems but perhaps I am wrong. They had to suffer Golum’s press conferences, God that man was depressing. And there is no way that Ellis Short will pump any more money in. Were there any empty seats in the SOL?

    And let’s cap it all off with a mega-rich investor taking over NUFC and handing Rafa 100 million in January.

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  14. Shamrock:
    Well I for one would love to see the Scum go down again. Proper dose of humility for them and finally end their ridiculous claim that they are the best side in the NE. Never have been (at least in modern times) and never will be.

    Did not Lawrie Mac not do that for them years ago?

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  15. Eric Sykes:
    And also what happens – Rooney injured so Koeman forced to take him off. Everton win.

    Aye fives minutes into second half he only had a very small cut over left eye,soft ***** anyway it helped them win,managers job was on the line if they had got beat

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  16. I am watching a recording of the Man City game and they are immense. I will restate my prediction that they will win the PL but also the CL as well.

    They cut to Mr. Roy and he has started that pawing at his face thing again. I fear for Palace.

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  17. Ice: you and I can see this stuff and yet the pundits make excuse after excuse. It is as plain as the nose on Phil Thompson’s face that Rooney is shyte.

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  18. Whenever I see Phil Thompson I always think of an elephant seal except the elephant seal is better looking.

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  19. Eric Sykes:
    Whenever I see Phil Thompson I always think of an elephant seal except the elephant seal is better looking.

    How the hell he never got that sneck broke every other week beats me

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  20. Ice: I am surprised he doesn’t get smacked on the nose on TV he is such a ******. But they all are on that show, Soccer Saturday? I just don’t know how they could have found such utter gobshites and put them all together. It seems to me that the producers are taking the **** out of the audience to force them to watch all of them together. Add Robbie Savage and I think there would be mass suicides.

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  21. Eric Sykes:
    Ice: I am surprised he doesn’t get smacked on the nose on TV he is such a ******. But they all are on that show, Soccer Saturday? I just don’t know how they could have found such utter gobshites and put them all together. It seems to me that the producers are taking the **** out of the audience to force them to watch all of them together. Add Robbie Savage and I think there would be mass suicides.

    I never watch them,I did watch the once that was enough,just watch Bein sports but mute tv dumb and dumber start their ****

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  22. Icedog: I never watch them,I did watch the once that was enough,just watch Bein sports but mute tv dumb and dumber start their ****

    Keys and Gray 🙂

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  23. I know I am dwelling but that is because I am happy. I will use a Seinfeld line.

    Mr. Roy has now given up pawing at his face and is now muttering to himself – like an old man taking soup back in a deli.

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  24. I think Mr. Roy has put a patent on this 11-0-0 formation, and the face pawing. Palace have now lost 10 of their last 11 PL games and have not scored in any of those losses.

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  25. Eric Sykes:
    Olly: you say in your preview that you don’t see the back four changing and then you change it to include Manquillo instead of Yedlin?

    Anyway, back to karma. Mackems in bottom 3 ?

    My mistake – used the wrong team picture – expect Yedlin in for Manquillo! Thanks for pointing it out

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  26. Olly: no worries mate. You can never tell with Rafa though.

    Sorry for turning this into a Crystal Palace blog. I was just so happy that the two biggest **** managers have failed at a **** team.

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  27. I don’t like Mr. Roy. I always thought he was overrated. He won a few games in **** leagues and then failed completely in the real jobs he got – Liverpool, England. And don’t talk to me about Fulham, that was a fluke and he didn’t win anyway.

    Eric, can you just leave Mr. Roy alone!!! You are obsessed.

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  28. Since it is so quiet again I will give you a Brian Clough quote:

    “I might not be the best manager in the world, but I would be in the top one”.

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  29. And…

    on transfers.

    “I go to the Chairman and discuss them for 15 minutes and then we both agree I am right”.

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  30. Another one from the great Brian Clough:

    “They say Rome wasn’t built in a day, but I wasn’t on that particular job”!

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  31. Eric Sykes:
    And…

    on transfers.

    “I go to the Chairman and discuss them for 15 minutes and then we both agree I am right”.

    I might have misquoted that but it is pretty close.

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  32. How can the Mackems be so bad? They spent a lot of money. More than us, that’s for sure – net spend anyway. I think somebody on here did a calculation for us under Ashley and we about broke even in the transfer market. So how can the Mackems be so bad?

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  33. It was probably Shamrock or Premandup because they are into numbers and stats. I think they said on average we have spent NET 2 million a year under Ashley.

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  34. Premandup:
    That would have confirmed 7th for them ICE

    really my point is the owner was really backing his manager with big money,yes defo 7th if they had got him

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  35. One thing Hughton said in his Daily hateMail interview, if you didn’t have time to read it, was that after the Neymar transfer players that were quoted as 7 million suddenly were quoted as 15 million. You can see why we were stagnant in the last 2 weeks, everything changed, and the Fat Man was not going to get involved in bidding wars even if we had the money.

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  36. I’m thinking 11th for Everton, mainly because you don’t replace a Lukaku with a potato. I am also not sure if that Mackem goalie is as good as he seemed. He only played 6 months and looked great, but you never know.

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  37. Steve Sidewell has said when he was at Stoke Joselu was the best striker they had in training but never really got a chance in the first team,so let us see if he can start firing for us?

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  38. Icedog:
    Steve Sidewell has said when he was at Stoke Joselu was the best striker they had in training but never really got a chance in the first team,so let us see if he can start firing for us?

    I hope you are right. But it is hard to argue with what Stuart said. That Joselu is 27 and his strike rate is 1 in 4.

    I might take that though, since Perez is about 1 in 8 recently 🙂 Perez has played well though. Had the most tackles of any player last week. But… all we are saying, is give us a goal.

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  39. Well. I just watched a documentary on NUFC done by NBC over here. It was absolutely brilliant. One thing the Yanks can do is make great television.

    If I can find it on youtube in the next few days I will post a link.

    Interviews with Saint Peter of Beardsley, Rafa and Shearer.

    If I have one criticism it is that they didn’t really mention how Bobby Robson re-energized the club. It was really great anyway though.

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  40. They had a perfect picture of the Tyne Bridge and the High Level Bridge shot going up the Tyne. I might have to get on Amazon and get that to stick on my wall here in Chicago.

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  41. I actually don’t think it’s about the money this time for Roy. It makes no sense him taking that job other than he is from Croydon and must be a life long fan, he started his junior playing career there at Palace. He is 70 years old now and didn’t need to work.

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  42. Not sure what way Joselu is going to go this season. Gets into decent positions and links play well but not a natural finisher. We really need to spend a few bob on a proper striker.

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  43. Good game so far… Andy Grey just said it’s a championship quality match, neither are like Man U! What a **** that guy is…

    This is going to be hard fought this one.. I’m going for a narrow 1-0 to us… ?

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  44. Neither of us have spent hundreds of millions on players in the last couple of years either! Its a PL standard game because it is between 2 PL teams. And we are top 10 at the minute so he can fook off. Been a decent watch. Just lacking a good striker.

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