TF Preview - Brighton (a), 4 May 2025

Four games to go and 7 points will do it,* Nick has the crucial Amex preview

Premiership, 2pm, Sunday 4th May

American Express Stadium

‘Live’ on SKYSPORTS

Brighton: P34 W13 D12 L9 GD+1 51pts, 9th

NUFC: P34 W19 D5 L10 GD+21 62pts, 3rd

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Another long weekend is on the horizon and with it another ‘Cup Final’ for Newcastle United. Next up, it’s the Amex and Brighton away.

Mags everywhere are spending more time than is healthy staring at the League table, and the connotations of the fixtures around us. In a Premier League season where the title race has had one competitor and the bottom three have been pretty much sealed from circa January, the only real cliffhanger is: ‘Who gets the five Champion’s League berths?’ As I write, just five points separate us in third, and Aston Villa in seventh, and you’d imagine there will be a few twists during the final four match days.

Our hosts have had another solid season, which in truth could’ve been a lot better but for drawing too many games. As a club, if I’m honest, they dull me out a bit, but that’s not their fault. They remain ‘competent’ in their shiny, (well) out of town arena, and many clubs of a similar size would love to be them. It’s just playing the Seagulls rarely gets the juices flowing. Leeds United getting back in the top flight I’m all in for. Playing these, less so.

They also puzzle me a bit on a number of levels. I mean, what’s the crack with them and Crystal Palace? The M23 ‘Derby.’ Really? It’s a two-hour drive away. Sussex and Surrey play each other at cricket and crown green bowls. It’s hardly the fucking Lancashire v Yorkshire tear up which dates back to the 15th century. I mean those boys properly loathe each other. Bosworth Field, the lot. What’s the contention with these two counties? Who does a better gingerbread latte?

Secondly, how do they keep on unearthing wonderkids from Ecuador? And don’t say ‘Dan Ashworth.’ He took his ‘Emperor’s New Clothes’ with him to Barrack Rd, then off to Salford to work for Mean-eyed Jim and achieved the square root of fuck all. It simply must’ve been other people unearthing the likes of Caicedo and Estupiñán.

Lastly, why are we continually so rubbish against them? In a season where we’ve turned over the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal, we can’t seem to lay a glove on them. First, they defeated us at SJP in the league, then they knocked us out the FA Cup on our home patch. You could argue that we were robbed with another ridiculous semi-automated VAR ‘offside,’ as Fabian volleyed what should’ve been an iconic winner in front of the Gallowgate, but in truth they were probably worthy winners on both occasions.

Anyway, we last defeated them in the league in 2023, 4-1 on the way to our last Champion’s League qualification, and you have to go back to Mo Diame’s stunner over eight years ago for our last victory down there. Gulp.

There are a couple more tricky aspects to this fixture. Firstly, a glance at the table will show our hosts as just above mid-table. The truth is, though, they are very much in a Euro battle of their own. There is every chance that qualification could drop as low as 8th or 9th this time around.

Also, my heart skipped a beat when I saw the allocated referee is Craig Pawson. I honestly thought we’d seen the last of such poncey officials when the orange headed, ludicrously named Andre Marriner flounced off into retirement. Mr Pawson keeps his legacy burning bright. We have a pretty grim past with him. A ref who always appears to make every game about him, with over fussy officialdom; and he doesn’t mind a black & white red card. Over the years he’s doled out a bunch of them. Remember Diaz, then of Southampton, on the opening day of the season? Yep, that was Wor Craig. Mint.

The Seagulls are a side with a lot of talented individuals. When they click, they look ‘top 4/5’ material, but consistency is a real issue. A good example of this is possibly their biggest talent. Kauro Mitoma drifts in and out of form. Have a look at his goal of the season contender v Chelsea in February. Pure class, when he’s ’on it.’ Actually, if you’re a ‘Nervous Nicholas’ like me, perhaps wait til next week.

Ecuadorians aplenty await us, alongside the Japanese lad mentioned above, with the excellent João Pedro and, of course, young Minteh. And let’s not forget the ex-mackem, Welbeck who doesn’t mind a goal against us. It’s a ‘Toughie Taylor’ and no mistake, guv.

What of our Magpies? It’s hard to call ‘form-wise.’ The wonderful seven-game winning run which included the glory of Wembley came to a shuddering halt at a gleeful Villa Park. And last week’s match v Ipswich felt like a pre-season friendly. Our opponents looked like they’d rather be anywhere than playing a Premiership match which sealed their doom, and we snoozed our way to victory in a rather cumbersome manner. We know that the next four are all much stiffer tests. Can they step up for one final push?

Playing pretty much the same starting line up is, of course, a fact of injuries/PSR life, but fatigue and predictability enter the equation. Edward is also going to have to find a replacement for the fettled Joelinton. I reckon it may be a ‘horses for courses’ scenario with Miley for the away games and Willock at home. We could also do with our Swedish wunderkind looking a little more interested. One thing is for sure, don’t expect United to be anything like as open as our last trip away with the manager safely installed back on the bench.

So, having taken all the above into account, whilst a win would be amazing, I’m gonna go straight down the middle and be as Swiss as a handsome centre half. I’m plumping for 1-1, and then it’s on to a battle royale with those bastards, Chelsea.

Bring. It. On.

Nick Clark

X : @Clark5Nick

Bluesky : @njc1892.bsky.social

* 7 points from any of the 4 games guarantees we finish above Villa; 7 points including beating Chelsea also guarantees we finish above one of them or Forest.

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Image: Paul Gillett, CC BY-SA 2.0

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