The Media Review: Newcastle United

Even though Albion’s 4-1 defeat away to Newcastle United was a match between two top-six teams with their eyes on European qualification, most of the daily papers decided to let their local reporters handle the game rather than sending the big guns to Tyneside.

The result was that the majority concentrated on their favourites' performance and downplayed the Albion display, which might be something of a blessing in disguise after a rare off-night on the road for Roberto De Zerbi’s men.

Indeed, one national daily that we won’t name mentioned only one Albion player in its entire report and ignored any European implications of the result for the visitors, its northern correspondent perhaps forgetting that he has readers south of County Durham.

Arguably the only bright spot for any Sussex-centric readers was that former Amex favourite Dan Burn moved a step closer to playing in the Champions League, as Craig Hope wrote in The Daily Mail: “So much for that nonsensical routine of refusing to celebrate against your former club. Dan Burn needed restraining come the end and, when that failed, his Newcastle team-mates left him to it, roaring like a lion in front of the stands where he sat as a boy.

“Either Burn forgot he had ever played for Brighton, or simply didn’t care. Given this was a goal that helped move his boyhood club to within one win of the Champions League - a competition he watched from those terraces the last time they played in it - you can assume it was the latter.

“Good on him, too. Burn probably thought the closest he would ever get to Europe was the four years he spent on the south coast with the Seagulls.

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“A few weeks ago, Brighton were a mathematical headache for Newcastle. They could, in theory, catch them, even that was highly unlikely. But coming into this game they were starting to feel more like a pain in the backside.

“A good season in recent years for these clubs would be to enter the final few matches already on the beach. They were on the beach here - Normandy, that is. For this was a genuine battle to take control of the European places.

“Come the end, it was the home fans singing about Italy, even if they did have to clear their throats to enjoy those late goals after a nervy period in which Brighton pressed for an equaliser.”

The Mirror’s Simon Bird wrote that “giant defender Burn’s first half header was initially the difference, after Deniz Undav’s own goal, in a gritty win against their sixth placed rivals.

“United were hanging on at the end as Brighton mounted a fightback. But United were roared on by a sustained onslaught of noise from a jubilant St James’ Park.

“Trippier’s set piece delivery was causing big trouble and this time he picked out big Dan Burn at the far post. The local lad, who transferred home from Brighton 16 months ago, now has two Toon goals. His first came in the Carabao Cup semi final.

“This firm header was just as crucial edging United closer to their unexpected aim. Burn celebrated with his team mates who shoved him towards the Leazes End alone for him to give a fist bump that got a huge cheer.

“Almiron should have made it three but Steele saved his close range shot and it proved costly as the visitors pulled one back. From the breakaway Billy Gilmour pinged a lovely ball through the middle that sent Undav through. He finished with a crisp low shot, but Nick Pope might have done better.”

Henry Winter of The Times, one of a very small number of writers to journey north for the match, noted that “Roberto De Zerbi had also rung the changes against Wolverhampton Wanderers last month and won 6-0, so Brighton fans believed when they saw that he had made four changes here. 

“Newcastle simply believed even more, immediately racing forward, pressing high. Van Hecke did manage to block a Miguel Almirón shot but Levi Colwill’s absence was felt. Even Lewis Dunk gave the ball away.

“Howe’s side seemed more driven by their Champions League mission than Brighton by their Europa League ambition. Brighton were badly missing some of their main creative forces. 

“Brighton came out early for the second half, eager to make amends. Billy Gilmour, collecting possession in the centre circle, threaded the ball past Guimarães and Schär for Undav. He entered the area, slowed, then accelerated, holding off Schär, before sliding his shot past Nick Pope. After a check for offside, Brighton could celebrate.

“Within five minutes, De Zerbi sent on Mac Allister, Julio Enciso and Ferguson for Gilmour, Buonanotte and Welbeck. De Zerbi then withdrew Gross for the 20-year-old Odeluga Offiah, the Camden-born nephew of the rugby league great, Martin. Offiah stepped into the right-back role, freeing Caicedo to go into midfield. Offiah was quickly involved — a busy, mobile competitor with a neat touch. One thing that didn’t change was Steele’s second-half excellence, including one close-range save from Isak’s header.”

In The Sun, Oscar Paul wrote that “Brighton - still sixth and a point ahead of Tottenham - were woeful early on but came out fighting after the break and had the Magpies panicking.

“However they lacked a killer instinct in the final third, with Newcastle moving onto 69 points - the same number they finished with under Sir Bobby Robson in 2002-03 when they last qualified for the top competition.

“They forgot their shooting boots but Brighton’s passing around the back was causing problem after problem and they were lucky to go unpunished until the opener came 22 minutes in. 

“Lewis Dunk did brilliantly to block Joelinton’s effort. But from the following corner Trippier bagged his seventh assist of the campaign, with his in-swinger beautifully nodded into his own net by Undav at the near post.

“Brighton were way off the pace, a shadow of the side who smashed the Gunners and a replica of the one demolished by Everton.  And they were two down in first-half injury time when that man Trippier set up another.

“His free-kick from the right was spot on again, bent to the back post straight onto the head of giant ex-Seagull Burn to head back his first Prem goal for his boyhood club past Jason Steele. The defender absolutely loved it, celebrating wildly in the faces of his former team-mates.

“It should have been three five minutes after the break when Almiron was found free at the back, only for the Paraguayan to lack conviction and volley straight at Steele. And it was game on when Undav made amends for earlier.

“Billy Gilmour’s pass through the heart of Newcastle’s defence was sublime but there were gaping holes, allowing the German to bury and make it four goals in five.

“Steele then got down to his right to deny Isak’s header and keep Brighton in it. And the anxiety around St James’ grew as the clock ticked on and Toon failed to kill the game off. Yet all that worry evaporated when Wilson and Bruno delivered a devastating late double.”

In The Guardian, Louise Taylor hinted that Albion’s main problem was not the home side, but exhaustion. “For Newcastle the equation is simple; win one of their remaining two games and Tyneside’s 20-year exile from the Champions League will be over.

“On this evidence, though, a few of Eddie Howe’s players could be almost too tired to party. The indefatigable Lewis Dunk and Jason Steele excepted, much the same could be said of Roberto De Zerbi’s evidently fatigued players as they aim to take their club into Europe for the first time.

“Whereas Newcastle pushed themselves through the pain barrier, Brighton were way below their best and never looked like sustaining a brief second-half revival. They looked a barely detectable shadow of the team that had won 3-0 at Arsenal on Sunday. It seemed a repeat of the visitors’ 5-1 home surrender to Everton earlier this month was not exactly a remote possibility.

“Only Dunk, fighting a valiant rearguard effort at centre-half, and Jason Steele, once again demonstrating why he has displaced Spain’s Robert Sánchez in goal, were really that heavily involved in mounting a resistance effort.

“Given the level of Brighton’s performance, De Zerbi had begun creating quite a technical-area commotion but, for a while, the Italian’s evident disgust was perhaps leavened by the continued slenderness of the scoreline.

“Burn re-emerged for the second period seeming somehow larger than his customary 6ft 7in. Who would have thought there was a time on the south coast when the centre-half turned left-back could barely get a game for Brighton?

“Unfortunately for Howe, Burn was soon brought back down to earth when De Zerbi’s side stunned St James’ Park by remembering that they can play a bit after all.

“No sooner had Burn crossed, Willock flicked on and Almirón forced Steele into a stellar save, than Gilmour’s superior through pass precipitated the advancing Undav expertly steering his shot beneath the diving Nick Pope.”

Luke Edwards of The Daily Telegraph played rather unashamedly to his home readership. “The Magpies were at their very best in the first half against Brighton, storming into a two goal lead which should have been turned into three just after half time,” he wrote.

“Brighton came back, they pulled a goal back and the nerves began to jangle. That is when Newcastle were dogged, defiant. The crowd kept roaring them on, tired bodies were energised. They were magnificent, on the pitch and in the stands.

“They defended for their lives and their Champions League futures right up until the moment Callum Wilson scored their third and Bruno Guimaraes added a fourth in stoppage time. 

“Brighton were pinned inside their own half for the first 45 minutes. Newcastle were dominant but needed to make it count and the goal finally came when Trippier’s corner to the near post was headed into his own net by Deniz Undav.

“Newcastle got their deserved second in first-half stoppage time. A dummied free kick by the wily Trippier, tricking the Brighton defence to drop back, which played Dan Burn onside to head home.

“It should have been game over early in the second half, but once again Almiron missed a simple chance in front of goal after Willock’s header had looped into his path.

“On such moments can games swing and within seconds, Brighton had a goal back when Undav was played onside by Burn and slotted the ball underneath goalkeeper Nick Pope.

“It could have [gone] horribly wrong after that, but this Newcastle side were too tough, too streetwise and too good to let that happen. Over to you Manchester United and Liverpool, a challenge has been set.”

On the BBC website, Jonathan Jurejko provided a summing-up: “Like Newcastle, Brighton have also enjoyed a spectacular season which has seen them exceed fans' expectations as they challenge for European qualification.

“Fears of the Seagulls' progress stalling when head coach Graham Potter left for Chelsea in September have proven unfounded.

“Roberto de Zerbi has built on the platform created by his predecessor, instilling a vibrant attacking style which has taken Brighton to the brink of the highest top-flight finish in their 121-year history.

“Victory at Newcastle would have ensured they would finish higher than last season's ninth place, but achieving that notable landmark remains on hold after a poor first half proved costly.

“Uncharacteristic sloppiness when playing out from the back invited Newcastle pressure and, although De Zerbi's side improved after the break, they never seriously threatened an equaliser.

“Brighton were without some key players through injury, and rested others including Argentina midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, in what was their seventh match in 26 days.

"’We are not in the best condition to play so many games in a row. I think we deserved to lose the game,’ said De Zerbi, whose team play their final three games in the space of seven days.

Despite this defeat, Brighton know they remain well placed to secure European qualification.

A home game against already-relegated Southampton on Sunday offers an opportunity to move closer to achieving that goal.

"’It was a tough night and the first half killed us,’ said Brighton skipper Lewis Dunk.

"’We've got three games left and we've got to move on. We need six points to secure European football and it's up to us to guarantee history for this club’."