In the early hours of a star-studded Friday morning (19th), Newcastle beat Brighton 4-1 at their own doorstep in the Premier League, a victory that leaves them now four points clear of fifth-placed Liverpool. In short, with one more win in their remaining two league games, Newcastle can return to the UEFA Europa League after a 20-year hiatus.
The crucial bye was a six-point matchup, but Brighton accidentally "gave a gift". Midfielder Andaffe's own goal in the 22nd minute of the match put his team in a passive position, and according to OPTA, Brighton has already had six omissions in the Premier League this season, the third highest number of omissions in a single season in the history of the Premier League, behind only Leeds United in 2003/04 (8) and Southampton in 2004/05 (7). Newcastle, for their part, were unfazed, extending their lead to 2-0 in the dying moments of first-half added time through a header from left-hander Dan Benn.
At the break, Andave finally put the finishing touches on the game, scoring a goal for Brighton to close the gap. However, just as the game was coming to an end, Brighton conceded two goals in a row, one each by Green Wilson and Bruno Gumarez, and eventually lost 1-4. It's worth noting that Newcastle have scored four or more goals in eight Premier League matches this season, a figure equal to the total number of "4+ goal" matches in the team's last 10 top-flight seasons.
