Just goal difference separates Newcastle in seventh from Brighton in sixth as the two sides prepare to meet at St James’ Park on Saturday.
The Magpies are unbeaten at home since January though Brighton will be buoyed by the manner of their comeback win over Tottenham before the international break.
Team news
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will hope to have strikers Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson available after both returned to training this week.
The Magpies are still without Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles and Kieran Trippier.
Van Hecke is still a doubt as are James Milner and Simon Adingra. Solly March, Joao Pedro and Matt O’Riley remain sidelined.
The stats
United are unbeaten in their last 12 home matches in all competitions, winning seven of their last 10.
They last failed to find the net at St James’ Park in a Premier League match in May 2023.The Magpies have scored one goal or less in seven of their nine matches this season.
Brighton have conceded 10 goals in their last four games (at least two goals in each of those) having conceded just two in their first five.
Prediction
St James’ Park is still the fortress it ever was this season with Newcastle unbeaten in four on home soil, winning three and banking a fine 1-1 draw against champions Manchester City in the other.
They have not lost at home since January and while the goals may have dried up, they have become far tougher to break down with just seven goals conceded.
Brighton are slightly flakier having shipped 10 — the worst record in the top half of the division — and they have conceded at least two in each of their previous four matches.
Fabian Hurzeler’s organised side will ask questions of Newcastle but the home side should have the answers.
Indeed, they may well have some welcome firepower back too, with both Wilson and Isak training this week after lay-offs.
Newcastle do not carve out loads of chances and are far more considered than in Howe’s early days but that is combining to make them much harder to beat.
And they have proved, when falling behind against Bournemouth, Wolves and Manchester City, that they have the attacking options to enable them to get back into games.
Brighton are too good a team to allow Newcastle to turn on too many attacking taps and the idea that this is a high-scorer flies in the face of the home side’s stats, but they are very good at home and can chalk up a well-earned win.
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