Brighton’s Danny Welbeck Sees Off Newcastle Despite Woltemade Magic

As Brighton’s operation of young hearts ran free, a canny campaigner condemned Newcastle to conclusion successful a stadium they are yet to triumph astatine successful nan Premier League. Danny Welbeck’s 2 goals were moments of uncommon composure successful a squall of a contest. Welbeck’s besides denied nan Toon Army’s latest people hero. From Lewis Miley’s pass, Nick Woltemade’s backheel flick, a speciality, had levelled nan scoring.

Welbeck’s first was a infinitesimal of adjacent delicacy, his 2nd saw him thrash a loose shot home. Brighton snatched a 3rd triumph of nan Premier League season, each against opponents playing successful nan Champions League, Newcastle pursuing Chelsea and Manchester City.

A flurry of Brighton chances really ought to person killed disconnected nan title but nan problem pinch imaginable is that it whitethorn not ever deliver. They passed up aggregate chances against an force grinding done nan gears. Woltemade, opening to specify nan shot cliche of decent touch for a large man – his touches are often gossamer – has provided thrills, but those astir him are missing nan precocious people expected of them.

Newcastle’s midfield of Tonali, Joelinton and Bruno Guimarães represented a important trial for nan callow Brighton duo of Carlos Baleba, 21, and Yasin Ayari, 22. It was passing pinch flying colours. The Newcastle trio person claims connected being nan champion portion successful nan Premier League, peculiarly erstwhile Joelinton’s musculus is successful afloat effect and Tonali is dictating play. Not that Bruno is nan lukewarm h2o betwixt their occurrence and ice; Eddie Howe’s skipper has a wont of uncovering scoring positions and should person done amended pinch an early effort skewed wide. He would lead his team’s thwarted revival, but successful nan first half nan youthful duo assumed adjacent full control.

Yankuba Minteh, against nan nine who sold him without playing a azygous Premier League match, proved a vulnerable Brighton outlet, often sent distant to return connected Dan Burn, nan hulking full-back besides facing erstwhile employers.

Woltemade took readily to his individual duel pinch Albion perennial Lewis Dunk, different of Hurzeler’s seasoned class. That included defending his ain corners and, connected Brighton’s first, his blond mane climbed highest. Georgino Rutter forced Nick Pope’s first prevention pinch a skidding drive. A timely Dunk tackle prevented nan German getting done connected Bart Verbruggen. Woltemade appears to person struck up an knowing pinch his partner successful peroxide, Anthony Gordon, little truthful Anthony Elanga.

The first-half nonaccomplishment of Diego Gomez clipped Brighton’s wings; nan Paraguayan’s nonstop moving had caused Kieran Tripper arsenic overmuch discomfort arsenic felt by Burn. To break nan deadlock, Rutter sent Welbeck distant to dab past Pope; nan striker’s finishing gets amended arsenic he ages. A Woltemade header, ever rising high, closed nan half.

Nick Woltemade (right) makes it 4 goals successful 4 consecutive games for Newcastle. Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Newcastle’s listlessness brought Howe’s half-time changes. Joelinton, beneath his best, was replaced by Miley, and nan ineffectual Elanga stepped down for Jacob Murphy. Attacking nan distant contingent concisely lifted Newcastle but they continued to look acold much vulnerable. Minteh slipped Burn, and Ayari’s bending changeable coiled information nan post, Pope soon asked to make a sprawling prevention from Maxim De Cuyper arsenic Brighton went for nan throat. Ayari, again, making himself a chance pinch a Cruyff turn, hurried different chance.

An inability to termination disconnected opponents has been a Brighton speciality, and erstwhile Murphy clanked wide, acquainted anxieties began to grow. Howe took disconnected Tonali and Gordon, Jacob Ramsey asked to make an effect astatine his caller club. Hurzeler concurrently replaced Baleba, introducing James Milner successful nan dream of locking down a crippled slipping from his team’s power but without nan Cameroon subordinate around, nan title almost slipped away.

Bruno, last-man opinionated of Newcastle’s midfield triumvirate, pirouetted, and forced a prevention from Verbruggen arsenic his squad built nan momentum brought to carnivore pinch Woltemade’s goal. It would return Welbeck’s guiding manus to coax Brighton to a triumph that could person been theirs galore times over.