Newcastle United 2-1 Brighton: Player ratings as Magpies hold on to early lead

Newcastle United held onto an early advantage to nervily see out a 2-1 victory at home to Brighton on Saturday afternoon.

Eddie Howe's hosts came into the contest as the form side but it was Brighton that began the better, controlling possession and threatening from set-pieces - themes which would persist throughout.

However, it may have been that promising start which left the Seagulls emboldened enough to push so many players forward so early in the match.

Jacob Murphy's searing pace pierced through the few yellow shirts behind the ball as Newcastle broke from deep in their half. Murphy beat Robert Sanchez but not the post with a delicate dink which bounced kindly for Ryan Fraser to snaffle up a 12th-minute lead.

Brighton had barely taken kick-off before Sanchez was again retrieving the ball from his own net. Fabian Schar scooted, untracked, to the near post, steering Fraser's pinpoint set-piece delivery through the keeper's gloves to double Newcastle's lead inside a quarter of an hour.

Graham Potter's side had a monopoly of possession - and plenty inside Newcastle's half - but struggled to tease apart any clear cut chances, especially from open play.

At the other end, Lewis Dunk gifted Newcastle one glaring sight of goal, losing his footing from a short goal kick on the cusp of half-time which Murphy failed to adequately punish.

Ten minutes after the interval, Dunk doubled down on his good fortune, pulling one back for Brighton with a thumping header from the latest dead ball that unsettled Newcastle.

The visitors continued to hog the ball after the break but were aided by Newcastle dropping incrementally deeper, as their 4-3-3 was pushed into a flat 4-5-1 which didn't disrupt the opponent in possession nearly enough.

Brighton peppered Martin Dubravka's goal but Newcastle just about weathered the squall of pressure to extend their unbeaten run to eight Premier League matches, inflicting a fourth straight defeat for the Seagulls in the process.

Newcastle player ratings

1. Goalkeeper & defenders

Martin Dubravka (GK) - 7/10 - Smothered Danny Welbeck very well with a sharp sprint off his line.

Emil Krafth (RB) - 6/10 - Reluctant to join Newcastle's attacks, opting to hold his position.

Fabian Schar (CB) - 6/10 - Converted sharply in Brighton's box but less convincing when defending set-pieces in his own area.

Dan Burn (CB) - 7/10 - Against the club he departed in January, Burn hauled his 6'7 frame in the path of a number of dangerous attempts from his former teammates.

Matt Targett (LB) - 7/10 - Quelled the threat of Tariq Lamptey so effectively he was removed in the 59th minute.

2. Midfielders

Joe Willock (CM) - 7/10 - His long, loping stride frequently took Willock high and wide on the right-hand side, overloading the space Brighton often vacated anyway as they shifted between a back-three and four.

Jonjo Shelvey (CM) - 6/10 - Sat behind his fellow midfielders in a display with few frills.

Joelinton (CM) - 7/10 - Carrying out a grubby role as he tracked back diligently and pressed selflessly at the other end.

3. Forwards

Jacob Murphy (RW) - 7/10 - Showed Marc Cucurella - who's hardly lacking for pace - a clean set of heels as a regular outlet to stretch the Brighton backline.

Chris Wood (ST) - 6/10 - Played a crucial role as the attacking fulcrum for Newcastle's breakaway opener but left Dunk to nod Brighton back into the game.

Ryan Fraser (LW) - 7/10 - Got his just-rewards for a lung-bursting run to support Murphy for Newcastle's opener and provided the second.

4. Substitutes

Allan Saint-Maximin (LW) - 5/10 - Cantered forward on a squall of characteristic surges but played the ball into traffic when approaching Brighton's box.

Bruno Guimaraes (CM) - N/A

Sean Longstaff (CM) - N/A

Brighton player ratings

5. Goalkeeper & defenders

Robert Sanchez (GK) - 5/10 - Got a glove to Schar's header as the ball disappointingly trickled inside his near post.

Joel Veltman (RB) - 4/10 - Came off worse in the tangles with Fraser more often than not.

Shane Duffy (CB) - 5/10 - Eagerly attacked Brighton's set-pieces but squandered a very presentable chance to give his side the lead when the game was briefly goalless.

Lewis Dunk (CB) - 7/10 - Brighton's skipper firmly erased any memory of his unpunished face-plant with a commanding conversion and defended well otherwise.

Marc Cucurella (LB) - 5/10 - Bounding forward when Brighton were in possession but caught dramatically out of position in transition.

6. Midfielders

Pascal Gross (CM) - 7/10 - Produced consistently threatening set-piece deliveries from the opening exchanges onwards.

Steven Alzate (CM) - 5/10 - On a rare Premier League start, Alzate went in search of the ball to help Brighton build up with mixed success.

Leandro Trossard (AM) - 4/10 - Drifting around the pitch but struggled to do much with the ball wherever he popped up.

7. Forwards

Tariq Lamptey (RW) - 4/10 - Sloppily caught offside more than once in a spluttering performance that didn't last until the hour mark.

Danny Welbeck (ST) - 5/10 - Scurried around the top of the pitch but cut an isolated figure.

Jakub Moder (LW) - 4/10 - Shifting between midfield and the frontline in and out of possession, Moder was the first Seagull relieved of his complex role when Potter turned to his bench.

8. Substitutes

Neal Maupay (ST) - 6/10 - Peppered his cameo with some nice touches as a passing outlet for Brighton in central areas.

Solly March (RW) - 6/10 - Teed Trossard up for a firm snapshot on target in the closing stages.

Alexis Mac Allister (CM) - N/A