Newcastle United 4-1 Brighton & Hove Albion: Magpies boost Champions League hopes with win

Deniz Undav's ain extremity was Brighton's sixth successful the Premier League this season, much than immoderate different side

Newcastle United moved different measurement person to Champions League qualification with a deserved Premier League triumph against chap European hopefuls Brighton and Hove Albion.

Miguel Almiron was denied a 3rd for Newcastle astatine the commencement of the 2nd fractional by Brighton keeper Jason Steele's astute halt and, conscionable 45 seconds later, Undav slotted successful astatine the close extremity to springiness the visitors hope.

Suddenly, aft being successful implicit power for 50 minutes, Newcastle had to excavation in.

But the location squad managed the crippled professionally and eased immoderate lingering hostility done Callum Wilson's composed precocious finish.

The temper turned adjacent much celebratory erstwhile Bruno Guimaraes emphatically converted Wilson's walk successful wounded time.

The triumph puts Newcastle connected the cusp of a instrumentality to the Champions League for the archetypal clip since they were knocked retired astatine the qualifying signifier successful 2003-04.

Eddie Howe's side, who consolidated 3rd presumption successful the table, cognize 1 triumph successful their last 2 games volition unafraid a top-four finish.

The Magpies are 3 points wide of fourth-placed Manchester United, who person played a crippled fewer, and 4 up of fifth-placed Liverpool, who besides person 2 games left.

Brighton stay sixth and qualifying for the Europa League - which would beryllium their archetypal sensation of European contention - remains successful their ain hands with 3 matches left.

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Newcastle connected verge of getting Champions League enactment started

While the Saudi-backed consortium which bought Newcastle successful precocious 2021 brought optimism and excitement astir the club's future, fewer expected a squad successful a relegation conflict astatine the clip of the takeover to beryllium contending for Champions League qualification this season.

Howe said earlier Brighton's sojourn that helium would person "snapped the manus off" idiosyncratic offering him the imaginable of a top-four decorativeness astatine the commencement of the season.

What was past a fanciful thought is present truthful adjacent to becoming a reality.

Newcastle's accelerated betterment has been down to Howe's absorption and astute signings, with beardown location signifier providing the bedrock of their success.

The Magpies had lone mislaid 2 league games astatine St James' Park this play earlier Thursday's important fixture, and knew triumph against the Seagulls and different location triumph against Leicester connected Monday would seal their spot among Europe's elite adjacent season.

Howe's squad started positively, playing with vigor and purpose, and afloat deserved their 2-0 half-time lead.

The ambiance among the location fans turned somewhat tenser erstwhile Brighton halved the deficit, but the sound accrued to thunderous levels again aft the 2 precocious goals removed immoderate lingering doubts.

Party clip had arrived. The beaming smiles from the faces successful the stands, matched by those connected the Newcastle players astatine the full-time, was an denotation the metropolis is assured of welcoming Europe's elite again adjacent season.

"The Champions League is truthful close, but truthful acold distant arsenic well. We volition bask contiguous but [we are] focused connected our adjacent match," said Howe.

More to follow.

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