Saturday’s match ended Newcastle 3 Brighton 1.
Ahead of each game we ask one of our writers to come up with three positives and three negatives following the game.
Plenty to talk about after this Brighton one…
A match that saw Newcastle United lead 2-0 inside 25 minutes but then a nervous final half hour when it was pulled back to 2-1, before Harvey Barnes sealed the win in added time.
On this occasion it is ‘Matt Busby said to Joe Harvey…’:
POSITIVES
Resilience and relief
Two goals up and looking good until Hinshelwood pulls one back and the nerves start to jangle.
But the manager’s substitutions steadied the ship and paved the way for a dramatic finale, first Nick Pope with a massive save from Kostoulas’ bicycle kick, before Harvey Barnes showed composure to seal the win in the fifth minute of injury time.
Safe from the drop
Three big points and with them, any ridiculous notions of relegation are consigned to the rubbish bin.
During the week, I wrote an article suggesting whilst 42 points was more than sufficient, the most effective way of putting any fear of Newcastle United falling through the relegation trap door was to beat Hove Albion on Saturday
The side that Eddie Howe put out duly obliged and with three games left, we’re looking up the table once more. Finishing on 54 points has got to be the objective.
It’s nice to be writing this article for a change
The three positives and three negatives is a tricky article to pen, easy to depict the positives when we win, often difficult to find anything constructive to say when we lose.
I was on a bad run, the Editor having asked me before matches to describe positives and negatives ahead of United losing to Bournemouth, Everton, Manchester City (twice), Brentford and Aston Villa in recent months.
So writing this one is an absolute pleasure, with yesterday’s positives many and varied.
Murphy did so well to get back on his feet to assist our opening goal; the easy option would have been to claim a free-kick.
Osula was very bright, direct and positive, scoring from Murphy’s cross and generally creating havoc amongst Brighton’s back line.
Our set-pieces were much improved, Burn scoring with a towering header from a Guimaraes corner, whilst Thiaw was unlucky after Miley’s wonderful delivery into the Hove Albion box.
What about Nick Pope? Much maligned but with two great saves, one early on from Hinshelwood, the other in the dying embers.
Then there was Barnes’ goal, followed shortly after by the resident DJ at SJP putting Joy Division on the turntable.
And let’s not forget that absolute belter from Harvey came after two great opportunities went begging, a case of Joelinton and Wissa being profligate perhaps, but at least we were creating big chances.
I could go on, the change in personnel and formation when we looked vulnerable, the introduction of Lewis Hall, Joelinton looking himself once more, Botman quickest to react when Hinshelwood charged down Pope’s clearance and the ball ricocheted off the post, all huge positives for me.
NEGATIVES
Second half drop off
Seeing Brighton score was so predictable.
After a first half of industry and belief, United looked laboured and fragile in the opening exchanges of the second half.
I was willing the manager to make some changes just ahead of the visitors’ goal and if I had noticed the need for something different why hadn’t he?
Negativity up in L7
Nick Pope got hammered where I sit and it wasn’t a minority.
Okay, his kicking was generally poor (apart from that one to Osula who set up Willock), but two big saves at crucial times well and truly kept us in the game.
No wonder the lad looks low on confidence with the pelters he’s getting.
We rode our luck at times
Brighton hit the woodwork twice in the first half and as I’ve already highlighted, we had Nick Pope to thank for two big saves. In the 90th minute, Minteh should have equalised when he ballooned the ball over the bar from close range when it looked easier to score.
All that said, I think we thoroughly deserved that win.