Newcastle United ended a run of five straight defeats with a 3-1 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at St James' Park, easing the pressure on manager Eddie Howe. The win was watched by Newcastle's chair Yasir al-Rumayyan and delegates from the club's majority owners, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
Will Osula opened the scoring in the 12th minute, heading into an empty net after Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen lost his footing while challenging Jacob Murphy. Dan Burn doubled the lead in the 24th minute with a header from a Bruno Guimarães corner, vindicating Howe's decision to start the 6ft 7in defender at left-back.
Brighton pulled one back through Jack Hinshelwood after a poor clearance by Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope, but the home side held on. Harvey Barnes sealed the win in stoppage time, lashing home Newcastle's third goal. Howe admitted to anxiety and lack of sleep before the match, but praised the fans for their support.
Brighton manager Fabian Hürzeler, whose team had been unbeaten since early March, felt his side dominated the game but failed to manage key moments. The defeat leaves Brighton's European hopes dented, while Newcastle move further away from relegation trouble.
