Newcastle United delivered a much-needed victory over Brighton to ease the pressure on manager Eddie Howe after a difficult run of results.
Heading into the match on the back of nine defeats in 12 league games, Howe was under scrutiny, but his side responded with a composed display in front of key club figures watching from the stands.
Newcastle took the lead in fortunate circumstances when Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen collided with Jacob Murphy outside the box.
Murphy recovered to cross into an empty area, where William Osula headed home.
The hosts doubled their advantage midway through the first half as Dan Burn rose to meet Bruno Guimaraes’ corner and nodded in against his former club.
Despite falling two goals behind, Brighton showed why they had been in such strong form.
They threatened before the break and pulled one back in the second half when Jack Hinshelwood combined neatly with Danny Welbeck before finishing clinically.
Newcastle, who have dropped more points from winning positions than any other Premier League side this season, were forced to dig deep as Brighton pushed for an equaliser.
Nick Pope made a crucial late save to deny an acrobatic effort, preserving Newcastle’s lead during a tense finale.
Howe’s substitutions proved decisive, with Harvey Barnes sealing the win in stoppage time after a rebound fell kindly to him in the box.
The goal sparked jubilant celebrations on the touchline, underlining the significance of the result as Newcastle climbed to 13th in the table.
Howe’s tactical decisions and faith in his players paid off at a crucial moment, offering hope that Newcastle can build momentum in the closing stages of the season.
For Brighton, the defeat ended an impressive unbeaten run, but their spirited response after going behind showed they remain a force to be reckoned with in the race for European places.
