Post Match report for the Newcastle game - Sunday, 20th September 2020
PREMIER LEAGUE 20/21: Newcastle v Brighton 20/9/20, P2.
ALBION VICTORY MARRED BY LATE CARD
RESULT: 0-3 ~ Maupay 2, Connolly . (h-t 0-2) . SHAPE: 5-2-3
VENUE: St James Park, Newcastle - first away match and second Prem fixture, played behind closed doors.
BUILD UP: after an eight week interval Albion were on the road once more. Travellers record in 2020 was good, going back to end of January for their last defeat, albeit the Prem was suspended from mid Match until late June.
BHA had been here exactly twelve months ago, sharing a point apiece.
WEATHER: fine & dry autumn afternoon.
GRAHAM POTTER assessed his squad following beginning of the Prem campaign and EFL Cup midweek tie, both at the Amex last week. He elected to make a change to the initial Prem eleven, introducing Connolly up top.
Pronounced fit again Lallana sat on the bench. Attacking options from among substitutes lacked a recognised striker.
TEAM: . . . . . . . . . . 1 Ryan
. 2 Lamptey, 3 White, 5 Dunk, 4 Webster, 20 March
. . . . . . . . . 8 Bissouma, 17 Alzate
. . . . 7 Connolly, 9 Maupay, 11 Trossard
BENCH: 23 Steele, 30 Bernardo, 33 Burn (58), 34 Veltman, 13 Gross, 14 Lallanna (78), 16 Jahanbakhsh (90).
GOALS: 0-1 - 4. Seagulls immediately take the game to Magpies. Ref points to the spot and MAUPAY converts.
0-2 - 7. Moments later MAUPAY nets again from a Lamptey & Trossard flank threat. VAR checked possible offside.
0-3 - 83. Superb teamwork from slick offensive action gives Connolly opportunity to strike a shot from distance.
INCIDENTS: 3 - Lamptey overlaps but goes down in the box - VAR review, penalty! 73 - Trossard hits an upright after useful team play forwards.
YELLOWS: none. 89 - Bissouma, reckless showboating. Ref checks his monitor - RED!
SUBS: 58 - injured Lamptey replaced by Burn and rearguard reshuffles to 442 . 78 - Lallana for March.
90 - Jahanbakhsh on Connolly off.
SYNOPSIS: an explosive opening from visitors, confirmed by VAR, set the scene for returning to Sussex with three points in the bag. Immediate threats at Seagulls sharp end was apparent from the get go.
Thereafter defenders & keeper were required to hold firm, keep a clean sheet and produce a coupon buster. Come the interval, half of the job had successfully been done.
Hosts changed their modus operandi from route one for expected second period reactive pressure. Albion soaked this up, although conceding free kicks. Change of formation reinforced midfield with two banks of four, with March on the right.
With time running out locals forced a number of corners, defended resolutely.
Travellers third goal settled it. Bissouma got sent off late for dangerous play, which was a proverbial fly in the ointment.
MoM - Maupay, worked hard without the ball.
NUMBERS: poss 47%-53%, on target 0-6, off target 6-7, corners 7-1, fouls 16-15, yellows 3-0, red 0-1, subs 3-3.
FS
EXTRA BROWSING:
via Stats page tabs - Squad, History & Travel, Archive for Prem table, tables, figs and CLUBS records.
