Magpies remain fourth ahead of crucial St James’ Park clash despite the two clubs now sharing an identical points tally and goal difference Sport | Football featuring team news and expert analysis from Malik Ouzia I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice The crowded race for a top-five finish in the Premier League looks set to go right down to the wire With Liverpool wrapping up the title with four games to spare and all three relegated teams confirmed weeks in advance a fierce battle for Champions League qualification next term is taking centre stage in the final weeks of a memorable season Normally it’s only the top-four finishers in the Premier League that book a position among Europe’s elite though fifth place will also be enough in this campaign thanks to Arsenal’s quarter-final first-leg win over Real Madrid that sealed England a top-two slot in UEFA's association club coefficient rankings and led to a coveted European Performance Spot (EPS) English football could still have as many as 10 representatives across the three European competitions next season depending on how things work out in the coming weeks and in the various continental finals and FA Cup showpiece at Wembley Aimee Lou Wood says she criticised SNL sketch to not ‘spiral inwardly’ Eberechi Eze on target again as Crystal Palace made to settle for a point Neville hails Chelsea star with Ronaldo comparison: 'In same sentence' How Give Your Best aims to solve clothing poverty in the UK It’s a truly fascinating battle with so many caveats not least the fact that Chelsea still have to play both Newcastle and Forest before the end of the season Newcastle left it late to claim a share of the spoils after a lively second half against Brighton with top scorer Alexander Isak netting an 89th-minute equaliser from the spot in a 1-1 draw after Yasin Ayari’s handball from a Fabian Schar free-kick having trailed to a first-half effort from ex-Toon player Yankuba Minteh and seen two other penalty awards overturned by VAR Enzo Fernandez had finished off a fine move to give Chelsea a third-minute lead with the earliest league goal netted at Stamford Bridge since 2017, before Virgil van Dijk’s late header from a cornet set up a nervy finish after his earlier clearance had bounced in for an own goal off the unfortunate Quansah. A third straight win for the likely Conference League finalists brought Chelsea level on points with Newcastle after they dropped two at the Amex Stadium, while a two-goal swing also saw them equal their rivals’ goal difference of +21. However, Newcastle remain ahead of Chelsea leading up to Sunday’s pivotal meeting on Tyneside due to the fact that they have scored more goals than their next opponents as things stand - 66 to 62. Overall goal difference and goals scored are the primary tiebreakers in that order in the Premier League if points are level. It is worth noting that Forest’s goal difference is currently +12, so they would not have leapfrogged Chelsea or Newcastle if they won at Selhurst Park on Monday, bar an extraordinary result. Nuno Espirito Santo’s surprise package have also scored far fewer than both of those rivals with 54 - one fewer than Aston Villa, whose goal difference is worse still at +6. Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Lady Victoria Starmer VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications from nationalities most likely to overstay New visa crackdown as Home Office plans to restrict applications Stacey Solomon 'regrets doing reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Stacey Solomon 'regrets reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Image source, ReutersImage caption, Alexander Isak has scored 23 goals in the Premier League this season Alexander Isak earned a draw for Newcastle with a late penalty against Brighton at Amex Stadium. Brighton were on course for a narrow win as they led through Yankuba Minteh with stoppage time approaching. Newcastle had been awarded two penalties that were overturned by the video assistant referee (VAR) before being handed a third when Yasin Ayari used his arm to block Fabian Schar's free-kick. After a lengthy review, the on-field decision stood and Isak coolly converted to take his tally in the league to 23 goals for the season. A draw was fully deserved for Newcastle as they pushed and probed throughout the encounter on the south coast. Brighton mustered just three further shots after breaking the deadlock in the 28th minute as they struggled to find any rhythm. They did have a shout for a penalty of their own when Matt O'Riley appeared to have been caught by Sandro Tonali, but referee Craig Pawson waved away the appeals. Newcastle substitute Callum Wilson went close to snatching all three points in stoppage time when he forced Bart Verbruggen to make a fine save. The draw does no great favours to either side in their respective challenges for Europe, with Brighton staying 10th and Newcastle remaining fourth. Premier League: Brentford put four past Man Utd, Isak earns Newcastle draw Proud of Seagulls but have to focus on next match - Hurzeler Brighton felt euphoric last weekend after two late goals saw them come from behind to pick up a much-needed 3-2 victory against West Ham - ending a five-game winless streak. However, they did not appear to carry confidence from that result into this encounter and got a taste of their own medicine with Isak's late penalty denying them all three points. Minteh earlier showed great composure in a crowded box to craft space and curl cutely into the far corner to score for the sixth time this campaign, but it was against the run of play. The Gambia forward joined Brighton from Newcastle in a £30m deal last summer - after not making a single appearance for the Magpies. He was happy to celebrate in front of the travelling fans - pointing at his badge and then the floor. It took Brighton another 52 minutes to have their next shot as they were penned back by a Newcastle side desperate to take something from the game. Home boss Fabian Hurzeler turned to his bench but could not find the right formula to get Brighton up the field and eventually the pressure told. With three difficult remaining fixtures to come against Wolves, Liverpool and Tottenham, Brighton's hopes of qualifying for Europe are starting to look slim. Magpies not at clinical best in front of goal - Howe When a second on-field penalty decision was overturned with the help of VAR, Eddie Howe must have been thinking this was not going to be Newcastle's day. Both interventions from the VAR were correct, though, with the first incident rightly chalked off due to Tariq Lamptey's foul on Anthony Gordon having happened outside the 18-yard box, while the second saw Joe Willock awarded a yellow card for diving. It was third time lucky for the Carabao Cup winners, albeit after a lengthy VAR review, when Ayari clearly moved his arm towards the ball as Schar's free-kick was heading towards goal. Isak is exactly the man you want over a high-pressure penalty in the last minute and he did not miss a beat as he sent Verbruggen the wrong way. The Sweden striker has scored the most goals by a Newcastle player in a Premier League season since club legend Alan Shearer also hit 23 in 2001-02. Brighton could have had no qualms had Newcastle snatched all three points when Wilson unleashed a powerful shot in the sixth minute of additional time. The draw will leave Newcastle - who had won six of their past seven league outings - with mixed feelings, knowing that victory could have propelled them up to third but a loss would have left them with a huge target on their back. Newcastle face Chelsea, Arsenal and Everton in their final three games as they look to hold on to a top five spot, which would secure a return to the Champions League. After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users. The BBC is not responsible for any changes that may be made Yellow Card at 90 minutes plus 3Substituteshome team Brighton & Hove AlbionManager: Fabian Hürzeler Yellow Card at 90 minutes plus 3SubstitutesNumber 26 Wilson Match OfficialsReferee: Craig PawsonVideo Assistant Referee: Andy MadleyAssistant Referee 1: Timothy WoodAssistant Referee 2: Wade SmithFourth Official: Steve MartinAssistant VAR Official: Scott LedgerMatch StatsKey you need to enable JavaScript in your browser Brighton & Hove Albion v Newcastle United AudioBrighton & Hove Albion v Newcastle United 2:00:00Head to HeadSeason so farPremier League Scroll LeftScroll RightNewcastle are winless in all seven of their away Premier League games against Brighton (D4 L3) the joint-most they have visited an opponent in the competition without ever winning (also 7 v Watford & Wimbledon) It’s the outright most Brighton have faced a side without losing at home in the Premier League Brighton could complete their third league double over Newcastle after 1978-79 (second tier) and 2020-21 (Premier League) Brighton have already beaten Newcastle twice in all competitions this season 1-0 in the reverse Premier League fixture and 2-1 in the FA Cup fifth round The last side they won three games against in a single campaign were Wycombe Wanderers in 2009-10 while they have never beaten an opponent three times in a season as a top-flight side Brighton are one of two sides in the Premier League this season who’ve both scored and conceded 55+ goals (56 for each of their last 11 matches has seen at least three goals scored with 45 in total (4.1 per game) Newcastle United have won 19 Premier League matches this season and are looking to win 20 in a season for the first time since 2002-03 under Sir Bobby Robson (21) Eddie Howe would also become the first English manager since Frank Lampard with Chelsea in 2019-20 to win 20 Premier League games in a season no side has won more Premier League matches than Newcastle United (P19 W14 D0 L5) while champions Liverpool are the only teams to score more goals in that time (51) than the Magpies have (46) Brighton and Hove Albion have won four Premier League matches when they’ve trailed this season their most ever in a single campaign in the competition while the 17 points they’ve gained from losing positions is also their most in a season Newcastle United have won 27 Premier League matches by a margin of three or more goals the only side with more is Manchester City (38) while Howe has the most of these wins in Premier League history among Englishmen (38 – also 11 with Bournemouth) two more than the next best (Harry Redknapp Alexander Isak has scored 22 Premier League goals this season the most by a Newcastle player since Alan Shearer in 2003-04 (22) while Shearer was the last player with more (23 in 2001-02) Brighton are the only side he’s faced more than once without scoring against Kaoru Mitoma has scored in each of his last two Premier League appearances for Brighton the sixth time he’s scored in back-to-back games in the competition though he’s never scored in three in a row Sandro Tonali (Newcastle United) wins a free kick in the defensive half Foul by Yasin Ayari (Brighton and Hove Albion) Lewis Dunk (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half Callum Wilson (Newcastle United) right footed shot from the right side of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal Diego Gómez (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the centre of the box misses to the left Assisted by Brajan Gruda with a cross following a set piece situation Pervis Estupiñán (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick on the left wing Danny Welbeck (Brighton and Hove Albion) is shown the yellow card Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United) wins a free kick on the left wing Foul by Joël Veltman (Brighton and Hove Albion) Fourth official has announced 9 minutes of added time Craig Pawson pointed to the penalty spot three times, as Newcastle United salvaged a draw at the Amex Stadium Alexander Isak netted an 89th minute penalty to make it 1-1 after the Magpies had seen two penalties taken away from them The foul on Anthony Gordon was actually outside the box VAR also got the Joe Willock penalty call right but replays showed that the Newcastle United midfielder had dived The penalty was revoked, while Daniel Sturridge called Willock ‘cheeky’ for trying to win his side a penalty There could be no complaints with the penalty that the Magpies did get with VAR confirming that Pawson got the decision right However, Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler believes that a penalty should have been given to his side before Eddie Howe’s team were able to equalise Matt O’Riley went down in the box in the 80th minute after a coming together with Sandro Tonali The Denmark international appealed for a penalty but his protests were waved away by Pawson “That’s a thing I don’t understand,” he told the Athletic “When there is not even a touch (by Van Hecke) he blows the whistle and gives a penalty for them I don’t see there was a big difference to the foul by T (Lamptey) on Gordon and the foul on Matt O’Riley Brighton away is always a tricky game for the Magpies Newcastle’s last win at the Amex was in 2017 While Howe will know that his side had opportunities to end their rotten run on Sunday, it could prove to be a pivotal point in the race for Champions League qualification That was the view of Roy Keane after the game who told Sky Sports that Newcastle will be delighted to return to the North East with another point on the board "Huge point, they'll be delighted with that"Newcastle earned their 19th point from losing positions this season 🔲 pic.twitter.com/w4UnZOs5hD You look at the league with the goal difference The result means Newcastle and Chelsea are level on 63 points ahead of the two teams meeting at St James’ Park this upcoming Sunday Chelsea boosted their hopes of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League with a 3-1 victory over champions Liverpool at Stamford Bridge ending a four-month goal drought when netting a 96th-minute penalty Chelsea remain fifth but now have a three-point cushion over sixth-place Nottingham Forest, who play Crystal Palace on Monday Chelsea are also level on points with fourth-placed Newcastle United whom they play at St James' Park next weekend The Blues opened the scoring after just three minutes. Palmer led a swift counter before finding Pedro Neto whose low cross was neatly controlled and finished by Fernandez Liverpool looked to respond, with Cody Gakpo calling Robert Sanchez into action from a tight angle while Neto hit the side-netting at the other end Chelsea thought they had doubled their lead just before half-time when Noni Madueke rounded Alisson and slotted home. However, the joy was short-lived with Nicolas Jackson penalised for offside during the build-up The hosts did get their second goal in fortuitous circumstances 11 minutes after the restart as Van Dijk’s attempted clearance from a Palmer cross ricocheted off Quansah and back into the net Palmer struck a post from a tight angle, before Liverpool’s late pressure at the other end eventually culminated in Van Dijk powering home from Alexis Mac Allister’s corner But Liverpool's hopes of averting only their third league defeat of the season faded deep into stoppage time, when Palmer slotted home from the spot after Quansah felled Moises Caicedo Seeking a third straight Premier League win, Enzo Maresca named an unchanged starting XI for the first time since November, against Manchester United After giving the new champions a "Guard of Honour", the Blues’ confidence was evident as they were quick out of the blocks and soon ahead through Fernandez. Timed at two minutes and 47 seconds, it was their earliest league goal since Antonio Rudiger netted just 14 seconds earlier against Stoke City in December 2017 they eventually gained breathing space through Quansah’s own goal The hosts’ concentration levels were tested as Liverpool increased the pressure in search for a way back into the game Chelsea never really looked like surrendering it and put the contest to bed with virtually the last kick of the game as Palmer capped a fine individual performance by ending his 18-match goal drought Attention now turns to the second leg of the Conference League semi-final against Djurgarden, before their Champions League qualification quest resumes at St James’ Park against top-five rivals Newcastle United Fresh from securing their second Premier League title last weekend, Arne Slot’s much-changed side received a guard of honour as they made their way onto the Stamford Bridge turf We explain history behind the guard of honour as the 2024/25 title-winners receive one at Stamford Bridge There were six alterations in all and the Reds were slow to settle with Chelsea punishing them by striking inside just three minutes Liverpool struggled to generate a decent attacking threat over the remainder of the first half Slot’s side were much-improved after falling 2-0 behind, with Van Dijk and Darwin Nunez off target from headers Their pressure eventually told when Van Dijk made no mistake five minutes from time it was too late to avert a third defeat in four visits to London A disappointing afternoon for Quansah continued when he caught Caicedo late allowing Palmer to seal the points for the hosts Slot will be eager for his side to finish the season with improvement, starting next weekend against second-place Arsenal at Anfield Chelsea report | Liverpool report Enzo Maresca: "Very important three points playing the way we want and they forced us to use a different plan Chelsea has to fight for Champions League and hopefully in the future we can fight for something more important In this moment we are there and hopefully we can finish there." Arne Slot: "For many things I didn't see a drop off we could see why we have won this league - we brought the ball out from the back really well We came back after being 2-0 down and we didn't give up In some moments a few percentages were not there." Liverpool are only the fourth team to lose their first league match after they were crowned Premier League champions after Arsenal in 1997/98 (vs Liverpool) Chelsea in 2005/06 (vs Blackburn) and the Reds themselves in 2019/20 (vs Manchester City) Chelsea recorded a victory over Liverpool for the first time since March 2021 ending a run of 10 matches without a win against the Reds in all competitions (D7 L3) Only John Terry (19) and Dion Dublin (14) have scored more headed goals from corners in Premier League history than Van Dijk (13) The Liverpool captain is the top scoring defender in the competition since his first full season with the Reds in 2018/19 (21) Palmer ended a run of 1,162 minutes without a goal in the Premier League – he had the most shots (5) made the joint-most passes ending in the final third (13) and had the joint-most touches in the opposition box (8) of any Chelsea player in today’s win over Liverpool Michael Owen and Steve Cooper discuss the top-five race and who they think will be in the competition next season Your entry has been submitted successfully Please check your email for further information Newcastle’s road network has reached a critical state with potholes found on nearly every street forcing drivers to crawl through damaged sections to avoid vehicle damage The persistent deterioration has sparked constant frustration but recent announcements signal potential progress for the city’s infrastructure “Through the ongoing Active Pothole Patching Program our technical department is working tirelessly to ensure that roads are safe and accessible for all residents,” stated the Municipality’s Communications Unit Dedicated teams are actively engaged in pothole repairs and stormwater drainage maintenance to restore road functionality Acknowledging that potholes have long posed a challenge to safe travel the Communications Unit noted the Municipality’s efforts to collaborate with external partners to secure additional resources and expertise for road improvements the broader KwaZulu-Natal region is also prioritising road infrastructure improvements announced during his recent budget speech that R216,584,440.26 had been allocated to the Black Top Patching programs for this financial year “In the 2023/24 financial year the Department procured 55 trucks at a cost of R103 million to tackle the backlog of 3.12 million m² of potholes that need to be attended to We intend to procure a further 25 trucks to reinforce our efforts to eradicate potholes on our network The Department has also appointed more than 100 road worker aids and foremen to be on the frontlines in our fight against potholes.” “The Department had previously tasked the regions with this task and now it is being elevated to head office level and will be funded and executed through the rehabilitation and reseal program’s panel of pothole patching service providers We are in the process of appointing a specialist automated road rehabilitation and pothole patching service provider to deliver a speedy means of pothole patching at strategic areas of our Province This exercise will contribute greatly towards the capitation and development of small contractors and employment of targeted labour,” said the MEC To read more on further projects that are focused on improving the condition of the province’s road network, click here fed up with dodging craters and racking up repair bills these plans have sparked a flicker of relief Smoother roads could slash maintenance costs drivers might finally get the dependable roads they’ve been demanding Share your views in the comment section below Has anyone seen this pothole repair team in any of the residential areas To date I haven’t seen anyone repair anything in paradise or lennoxton personally I feel this municipality only maintains neighbourhoods the big shots live in Yea right and pigs will fly What about the quality of the work Repair 1 hole and leave the other hole 20 meters further on Thanks but no thanks because if done it will be poor/cheap quality hence it won’t last even 6 months or a year The day that our town is restored to it’s former glory the sun will set in the East Newcastle residents need to be informed that according to South African law the Municipality can be held liable for any damage caused to motor vehicles due to the potholes Residents need to take photos of the potholes and prove that damage to the vehicle was caused by potholes Maybe if the Municipality was inundated with claims then they would have more of an incentive to repair the potholes in all the areas of our town I had to borrow money to get my car fixed and tyre’s replaced You think I’m going to stop in the middle of the night on a rainy road to try and take pictures of the hole that is deeper than the municipalities pockets My whatever higher power you believe in be with you when you are traveling on the roads in Newcastle The potholes are irreparable at this stage There is more potholes than the actual tar road so much so that even the gravel road is better than our roads in this era instead of fixing something that has deteriorated beyond fixing We regard this as high disrespect for the Citizens of this country We need a proper leadership with a clear understanding of what is needed them People are sick and tired of empty promises and lies from our Municipality Let this stop mismanaging our money and do the right work for the people Commenting Guidelines we value the voice of our community and encourage open dialogue it is crucial to maintain a respectful and constructive environment We remind everyone that using fake or anonymous identities does not shield you from being identified and held accountable for your comments malicious personal attacks and the use of offensive language are not tolerated and will be promptly removed It is also important to note that remarks targeting individuals or companies must be factual and free from unfounded accusations or reveal confidential 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Use 'watch & listen' tab for live BBC Radio commentaries from across the Premier League FT: Brentford 4-3 Manchester United - Mount opens scoring Schade scores twice for hosts & Wissa adds fourth Garnacho pulls one back with superb strike before Amad scores late on FT: Brighton 1-1 Newcastle - Minteh scores against old club; Isak levels from spot FT: West Ham 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur - Odobert scores first Premier League goal for Spurs; Bowen levels FT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool - Fernandez opens scoring & Quansah own goal doubles lead; Van Dijk pulls one back before Palmer penalty via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only Time for us to wrap up our coverage for the day 358Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingWatch the highlights on MOTD2published at 19:27 British Summer Time 4 May19:27 BST 4 MayAs ever you can watch all the highlights from today's game on Match of the Day 2 1912Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'The future is bright for the club' - Marescapublished at 19:24 British Summer Time 4 May19:24 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool Chelsea speaking to BBC MOTD: "Very important at this stage of the season "The way they deal with different plans "They forced us to defend for moments in the game and the players dealt very well with that." On Romeo Lavia: "Unfortunately he has been injured for most part of the season You can see that the team with Romeo in is a better team Hopefully we can now keep him fit until the end [of the season]." Chelsea because of the squad the future is bright for the club." On Champions League qualification: "The win has been important We need to play three games and go game by game." "Now on Thursday we haver the second leg - we need to be focused on that and try to reach the European final." 9738Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'You can see how much pride Palmer takes in performing at a top level'published at 19:19 British Summer Time 4 May19:19 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool Daniel SturridgeFormer Liverpool striker on Sky Sports You can see how much pride he takes in performing to the level in his mind When you set your standards high and you know you aren't getting there When you play this game at a big club like Chelsea What I really liked about him is he said he doesn't care about that You can see how happy his teammates were for him when he scored because they know how hard he works behind the scenes All the top players in the world have gone through difficult periods I can't wait to see where he takes it 18536Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Everything Palmer did was effortless today'published at 19:16 British Summer Time 4 May19:16 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool Jamie RedknappFormer Liverpool midfielder on Sky Sports I think we all realise that form is temporary and class is permanent I know it's a saying but it's a fact with someone like Palmer because he is too good of a player for it to affect him over a long period 23736Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingget involvedGet Involvedpublished at 19:13 British Summer Time 4 May19:13 BST 4 May#bbcfootball A lot of talk about Liverpool not turning up at all 372157Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Hopefully in the future Chelsea can fight for something more important'published at 19:11 British Summer Time 4 May19:11 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca speaking to Sky Sports: "Very important three points This team [Liverpool] showed why they are so good They forced us to defend deep which we don't like On how they got the win: "We planned the game to be aggressive On beating Liverpool: "We didn't plan to wait and defend deep but they forced us to do this and this showed why they won the Premier League because they are a top side." On recent performances: "I'm very impressed with the players since we started [working with them] They can understand that if we finish top five I am very impressed with all of them." On finishing in the top five in the league: "For sure In this moment we are there and hopefully we can finish there." 14941Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Players have to be so careful on social media'published at 19:08 British Summer Time 4 May19:08 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool What Palmer said [about ignoring comments on social media] was a great example to young players because I don't care how mentally strong you are one comment on social media can affect you I think that players have to be so careful on it It's great to give people an example of how you live your life and the day-to-day but the other side of it when people have the ability to just abuse you whenever they want - that's not healthy for anyone It's already hard enough being a professional footballer The best thing you can do a lot of the time is to just turn it of and get on with being a footballer 18628Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Today we could see why we have won this league'published at 19:05 British Summer Time 4 May19:05 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool Liverpool speaking to BBC MOTD: "For many things I didn't see a drop off "We came back after being 2-0 down and we didn't give up "In some moments a few percentages were not there." On Chelsea: "They were a constant threat on the counter-attack Well organised and so many great individuals "It will always be a difficult game to play here but for us to play the way we did tells me also why we won the league but it also tells me if you have a small drop off in the final third you can concede or not score "A wise man once said to me 'nothing good comes from losing a football game' and that's how we experience it but the amount of times we could play through Chelsea was much more than half a season ago "In the final third we were not as aggressive and we missed a few percent to score the goal." 8193Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'It is in Chelsea's hands now'published at 19:02 British Summer Time 4 May19:02 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool Pat NevinFormer Chelsea winger on BBC Radio 5 Live at Stamford Bridge It was a good performance from various players the two central defenders were fabulous but you have to caveat it slightly - this was not Liverpool at their very best It was low power Liverpool until 70 minutes and then you saw the real Liverpool turning up Chelsea had a difficult time around Christmas and New Year got themselves on a good run and now have got it absolutely in their own hands If they get just as good as this out of Cole Palmer get the money from that they can look forward to next season 19238Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'I am happy with the squad we have'published at 18:59 British Summer Time 4 May18:59 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool Liverpool manager Arne Slot speaking to Sky Sports: "A wise man once said nothing good comes from winning a football game and I have to agree with him Maybe we missed that little bit which we usually have We missed a few percentages to get that result On what could have been improved: "If you look at how we reacted after being 2-0 down you can't afford a lot and that's what we saw today It's always good to see some fringe players playing now with starters Now to see them playing with the other ones On whether the fringe players are playing for their Liverpool futures: "They deserve to play these games because they have trained so hard this season Every time they did so well so that's why I think they deserved to play this game We don't judge them only on this game we judge them every day on the training ground and in the moments that they play for us." "It's already a big summer because we extended Virgil [van Dijk] and Mo [Salah] and for large parts of the season I've said already that I am happy with the squad we have We will see what the summer brings but sometimes it can be good to bring fresh energy It has already been a good summer and we won the league Only if we see someone on the market who can improve us." 7687Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingPostpublished at 18:57 British Summer Time 4 May18:57 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool Cole Palmer ended a run of 1,162 minutes without a goal in the Premier League with his penalty his first since January against Bournemouth – he had the most shots (5) 21031Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingget involvedGet Involvedpublished at 18:54 British Summer Time 4 May18:54 BST 4 May#bbcfootball Liverpool lacked the edge and intensity that won them the title Even slightest drop off at this level is noticeable and should not be a surprise given they won the title last week 33878Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'They deserve the win' - Van Dijkpublished at 18:51 British Summer Time 4 May18:51 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool speaking to Sky Sports: "I think possession was quite good but when we didn't have the ball the pressing wasn't great and they could find between the lines but if we start to play the way we want to play then we can create chances There was chances for us to score - in the end they deserve the win That's the disappointing thing as we came here to win "We know it was going to be tough at times We could have done better in the way we defended as a team but we will analyse it tomorrow and prepare for the next game." "Moises Caicedo plays as a right-back there will be difficult moment and defeat hurts "We are very fortunate that we didn't lose that many games in the league and this hurts "Even when the job is done we came here to try get a good result 21334Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'When I'm not helping the team I'm not happy'published at 18:47 British Summer Time 4 May18:47 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool Chelsea forward Cole Palmer speaking to Sky Sports: "They're champions for a reason but we showed good fight and desire." I went three months without scoring but it just gives me more fight and motivation to do more for myself and for the team I've scored today and I'm happy but it's only one and I've got to keep improving and try and reach new levels." On the last few months: "Getting chances and not scoring it feels like you're letting your team down I feel pride in helping the team and if I'm not doing that On his performance today: "Today I felt confident When you have got him [Moises Caicedo] in front of you nice to everyone and everyone loves him." 36054Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'This is the Palmer we all know and love'published at 18:44 British Summer Time 4 May18:44 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool There has been question marks about his consistency over the last few months but this is the Cole Palmer that we all know and love This is the Cole Palmer that gets the fans on the edge of their seats He is an amazing footballer to watch and today was what we love to see from him 36389Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Palmer helps us a lot even when he didn't score' - Caicedopublished at 18:41 British Summer Time 4 May18:41 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool speaking to Sky Sports: "I think we did well the team showed character We are happy that we won this game." On winning the penalty which Cole Palmer converted: "He [Cole Palmer] deserves it Now was his opportunity and he scored." On Cole Palmer: "Cole he's an amazing guy He helps us a lot even when he didn't score "He's a great guy and he deserves everything." 36063Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingget involvedGet Involvedpublished at 18:39 British Summer Time 4 May18:39 BST 4 May#bbcfootball Ahmad: Still Chelsea wouldn't make it to the top five 1991119Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharing'Top five race hotting up'published at 18:38 British Summer Time 4 May18:38 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool Forest or Villa fan this is the last thing you want to hear but this result really makes this last little period chasing the top five positions absolutely brilliant There was one little moment when Slot was going to make substitutions 20492Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingHow it standspublished at 18:35 British Summer Time 4 May18:35 BST 4 MayFT: Chelsea 3-1 Liverpool Chelsea move level with Newcastle on 63 points Both sides are also joint on the same goal difference Newcastle will stay above Chelsea as they have scored 66 goals this season compared to the Blues' 62 Szoboszlai Match OfficialsReferee: Simon HooperVideo Assistant Referee: John BrooksAssistant Referee 1: Adrian HolmesAssistant Referee 2: Simon LongFourth Official: Tony HarringtonAssistant VAR Official: Matt WilkesMatch StatsKey 2:00:00Newcastle and Chelsea's chase for Champions League AudioNewcastle and Chelsea's chase for Champions League 1:21:00Head to HeadSeason so farPremier League Scroll LeftScroll RightChelsea are winless in their last 10 meetings with Liverpool in all competitions (D7 L3) only once before going longer without a win over the Reds (11 from 1985 to 1990) Liverpool are looking to complete their first league double over Chelsea since their title-winning 2019-20 campaign Arne Slot could become only the third Reds boss to win both of his first two league games against Chelsea in charge of the club Chelsea have picked up 17 points in their last eight Premier League matches (W5 D2 L1) having collected just nine points from their previous 10 beforehand (W2 D3 L5) Champions Liverpool have scored in each of their last 30 Premier League matches since a 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest in September The only side to have a longer scoring run within a single campaign was Arsenal in the 2001-02 campaign Chelsea have not used a single player over the age of 27 in a Premier League match this season with this run of 34 games the longest by a side in Premier League history The previous longest had been a run of only six by Liverpool in April/May 2000 This will be Chelsea’s seventh Premier League game against a side already crowned champions They’ve only won one of the previous six (D2 L3) while one of their defeats was a 5-3 reverse against Liverpool in July 2020 Liverpool haven’t lost any of their last 20 Premier League matches in the month of May (W16 D4) though their last defeat was at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea in 2018 Only three players have created more chances in the Premier League this season than Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández (73) The only Argentinians to create more in a season record (since 2003-04) are Emiliano Buendía in 2019-20 for Norwich (83) and Erik Lamela in 2015-16 for Spurs (75) Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has scored 28 Premier League goals and has a further 18 assists this season and needs one goal or assist to equal the record for goal involvements in one season held by Andrew Cole in 1993-94 and Alan Shearer in 1994-95 (34 goals 32-year-old Mohamed Salah has 28 Premier League goals for Liverpool this season and needs one more goal to equal the record for goals aged 30 or older in a campaign held by Didier Drogba for Chelsea in the 2009-10 season (29) Copyright © 2025 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Manchester United are all set to compete with Liverpool and Newcastle United to sign Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo OneFootball's home page Search Settings Sign In Sign InJoinNewcastle have a golden opportunity to sign the next Lionel Messi | OneFootballFanSided World Football Newcastle United could be about to make one of the boldest youth moves in their recent history — by trying to sign a 16-year-old talent being dubbed the next Lionel Messi According to ChronicleLive the Magpies have been offered the chance to sign highly rated Mali youth international Aboubacar Maiga The teenager is already making waves at under-17 level and has attracted interest from heavyweights across Europe But there is a growing feeling that Newcastle could sneak ahead in the race with Maiga believed to have a strong desire to play in England one day With an ambitious project under Eddie Howe and a clear path to first-team football St James’ Park might just be the most appealing destination for the rising star Maiga is currently on the books at Academie Africa Foot in Mali — the same academy that has a working relationship with FC Barcelona That link gives the Catalan giants a head start and reports suggest they have already offered the youngster a pre-contract agreement With a focus on smart recruitment and youth development, Maiga fits perfectly into the club’s long-term vision. His style of play — low centre of gravity, excellent dribbling, and a lethal eye for goal — has led to comparisons with Lionel Messi but the early signs suggest this is no ordinary teenager The Magpies have already shown their willingness to invest in young potential with deals like Yankuba Minteh and Garang Kuol it would be another signal of intent from the Tyneside club that they are not just building for today Yes, Barcelona are a global brand with a pull few can match. And yes, their partnership with Maiga’s academy gives them an inside track. But Newcastle United are no longer a sleeping giant and the pathway to Premier League football is far less congested than at the Camp Nou or the Etihad For a 16-year-old aiming to make his mark quickly Related NewsNewcastle offered the chance to sign highly-rated attacker likened to Lionel Messi Messi, Suarez Lead Inter Miami Back to Dominance: 3 Takeaways From Win vs. New York Red Bulls Messi and Suárez silence doubters as Inter Miami crushes rivals Lionel Messi & Inter Miami rout their way back to business How Vancouver Whitecaps Stunned Lionel Messi's Inter Miami on Historic Night 4️⃣ things to look out for in the Champions League this week The Champions League returns with a bang this week as the finalists will be determined following some tense first leg action.Here is what to look out for...⚔️ Match of the... Man United hold talks in “recent hours” with Victor Osimhen’s agents over sensational summer deal The three players Xabi Alonso has requested Real Madrid to sign – report Football writer Adrian Clarke looks at key tactical points and players who can be decisive in Matchweek 35 Brighton have beaten Newcastle twice already this season so the Seagulls are chasing an impressive hat-trick when hosting the Magpies this Sunday after the two away victories at St James' Park in the Premier League and FA Cup it would be the first time Brighton have ever defeated the same team three times in one season as a top-flight side Newcastle are in third place and desperate to stay inside the top five, while Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton believe they can still finish high enough to earn European football in 2025/26 No Premier League side has won more matches since 14 December than Newcastle who have out come on top in 14 of their last 19 games Yet their away form against top-half opponents is surprisingly poor A 3-1 win at Nottingham Forest is their only victory in eight matches so far against their fellow top-11 sides Newcastle have conceded 2.6 goals per game across those eight matches and this poor return will certainly provide ninth-placed Brighton with the belief that they can again cause Eddie Howe's side problems Slow starts have been a recurring theme for Newcastle on the road at the division’s toughest opponents they have fallen behind in all eight away matches when they have faced sides in the current top 11 seven of those early concessions came before the 22nd minute If Hurzeler’s Brighton start Sunday's match quickly they could catch their opponents cold once again There has been a sluggishness about the Magpies early on in away games and they have been ruthlessly punished for lapses in concentration Howe’s back four has become fragmented too easily by longer passes early on in games Manchester City undid them with real ease from an Ederson goal-kick, releasing Omar Marmoush to open the scoring (shown below) In Newcastle's chastening 4-2 defeat at Brentford, the hosts played out from a goal-kick, moving the ball into midfield, before a lofted, switched pass to Bryan Mbeumo caused panic in the Newcastle defence The Magpies lost their shape and left-back Lewis Hall became detached from the rest of the back four as Mbeumo went on to score (see below) The Seagulls are not averse to going direct with their distribution at the right times under Hurzeler This is a tactic we can expect to see them use on Sunday They enjoyed success in that manner in the 1-0 win at St James’ Park earlier on this season A quickly-taken Lewis Dunk free-kick pushed the Newcastle defence backwards, and Danny Welbeck’s subsequent one-two with Georginio Rutter unlocked the door Hurzeler has triumphed over the Magpies in two differing ways so his chosen approach for Matchweek 35 could be difficult to predict It was a resilient backs-to-the-wall defensive display that helped them secure a 1-0 victory in the Premier League last October They had just 40.1 per cent of possession, were pushed back at will, and were reliant on Newcastle missing chances, as well as Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen's outstanding display but as you can see from these match stats below Brighton's 2-1 extra-time win in the FA Cup was earned via a different strategic approach boasting a lot more possession than they had on their previous visit that seemed to suit them as they racked up 21 shots and 45 touches inside the Newcastle box Brighton were able to find more spaces to run into This suited Yankuba Minteh, who sprinted in beyond Newcastle's exposed high line to latch onto Joao Pedro’s through-ball and score against his former club Howe’s defence was also caught square and looked rather disjointed as Welbeck scored the winning goal The striker's movement to show for a Solly March pass was excellent, but with Tino Livramento playing him onside from right-back it was not a goal the Newcastle head coach would have been pleased about The Seagulls have plenty of pace in the wide areas as well as good movement in the centre-forward positions Having used those qualities to great effect in those previous meetings Brighton will be well aware that all three goals scored against the EFL Cup winners came via forward passes that pierced a square back four The space that style creates will suit Brighton's quick forwards even if making it an open attack-minded game comes with plenty of risk against a team as free-scoring as Newcastle It is a ploy Hurzeler may well turn to again at the AMEX Stadium as Brighton look to complete a famous treble Adrian Clarke analyses how Englishman's return to Craven Cottage has delivered his best form for years Adrian Clarke looks at how Arne Slot's light-touch approach led to top-flight glory at Anfield Adrian Clarke analyses Brentford's strike partnership ahead of their match against Nottingham Forest Newcastle United have drawn a Premier League fixture that fact alone warrants (moderate) celebration What in isolation appears to have been their least remarkable result of 2025 so far (in a positive or negative sense) could actually prove to be among the most consequential Especially so given Chelsea’s victory over Liverpool later the same afternoon Without the point Newcastle secured on Sunday they would have slipped from fourth to below Chelsea who they are now above on goals scored alone “Losing the game would have dented us,” Howe said in his post-match press conference “You look at the league table — not that I’m a great believer in doing that but sometimes you just have a little look at it — and we look stronger for the point than we would have done without it.” The Briefing: Brighton 1 Newcastle 1 - Isak's late leveller The manner of Newcastle’s comeback made this draw even more important Newcastle had fallen behind in the 28th minute to a goal from their former player-who-never-actually-played-for-them Yankuba Minteh had been awarded two second-half penalties by the on-field referee only to see both correctly overturned by VAR and had generally struggled in the final third with Alexander Isak touching the ball just once in the opposition box inside the opening 88 minutes Yet rather than succumb to a second successive away defeat following the 4-1 capitulation at Aston Villa last month Fabian Schar whipped a free kick from inside the Brighton D towards goal and Yasin Ayari instinctively stuck out his arm to block it despite the VAR officials taking several minutes to determine that the ball had actually struck Ayari’s arm this time a penalty award for Newcastle was not rescinded Isak — having been starved of service and having twice psyched himself up to take spot kicks only to have those opportunities to score taken from him — stepped up and confidently dispatched the penalty in the 89th minute with only his second touch inside the opposition box There were even opportunities to claim what had appeared an unlikely victory but there can be tangible long-term value in ensuring you do not lose it despite their greatly improved away form this season which has featured eight victories on the road do not tend to recover against top-half sides on their travels once they fall behind Across their nine away matches against top-10 teams this season (they are yet to travel to the Emirates to face Arsenal) Newcastle have conceded the first goal on every occasion If that stat in itself is quite concerning it is even more alarming when you consider seven of those goals have come inside the opening 21 minutes Newcastle lost six and drew just one (1-1 at Bournemouth in August) of the first eight of those Their solitary victory came at Nottingham Forest in November when Newcastle delivered an excellent second-half display to overturn their one-goal deficit They went on to lose all four by a combined scoreline of 14-3 Had they continued that trend and been defeated at the Amex then another away defeat may have proven disastrous such a reversal could have been damaging to their Champions League qualification chances given how congested the top-five race has become a point could be really important,” Howe said we probably haven’t dug out enough points in games that are in the balance really (that we haven’t drawn since December).” Newcastle’s lack of a Premier League draw for precisely five months is actually they also won 14 of the 20 top-flight matches they played the most victories in the division across that time But it also marked the longest run of games in Newcastle’s Premier League history in which they did not record a single draw Only 11 Premier League teams have ever gone longer without sharing the points This curious stat demonstrates that Newcastle had become an all-or-nothing team regularly blowing their opponents away in the process as evidenced by the Villa reversal and the 4-1 home defeat against Bournemouth but somehow they managed to scrap their way to a point so you’ve got to be careful what you wish for,” said Howe “We want to win games and we’ll attack and try to do that you’ve got to make sure you don’t lose the game I’m really pleased to come here and come back from a goal down The Amex may remain a bogey stadium for Newcastle — they have visited Brighton’s ground eight times in the Premier League and never returned with a victory the most occasions they have travelled to an away ground in the competition without winning — but it may also prove to be the site of a season-defining fightback And that genuinely is a significant statement (Top photo: Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images) Efforts to secure the continued operations of ArcelorMittal South Africa are progressing with commitment and various organisations collaborate intensively to avert the closure of the steel giant’s facilities in both Newcastle and Vereeniging This development coincides with the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC) imposing safeguard duties on hot-rolled steel products As elucidated by ITAC, the South African Iron & Steel Institute (SAISI) submitted an application on behalf of ArcelorMittal South Africa Limited the predominant producer of the subject product within the Southern African Customs Union requesting an investigation into remedial action in the form of a safeguard measure to counter the increased imports of hot-rolled steel products “Hot-rolled steel is used for the manufacturing of general engineering products such as containers This product is normally used by products merchants and fabricators who convert material into pipes and tubes primarily for construction projects Smaller tubing is used for school furniture while hot-rolled slit material is utilized for lip channels,” noted the ITAC ITAC initiated this investigation through Notice No submissions and public hearings and made a final determination that there were unforeseen developments which led to the increased volume of imports and that the surge in imports was causing serious injury to the SACU industry The Commission further made a final determination to recommend to the Minister of Trade Industry and Competition (DTIC) that safeguard measures be imposed and that the Commission be instructed to monitor the prices of the subject products in terms of section 18(a) of the ITA Act,” said the ITAC the Commission explained that a safeguard measure may be introduced to protect a domestic industry against foreign competition that such measures can be implemented to address an unforeseen surge in imports that threatens to cause or is causing serious injury to a domestic industry “Safeguard measures are temporary measures with timelines to allow a domestic industry to adjust and improve its competitiveness,” highlighted the ITAC A notice to give effect to this decision was published in the Government Gazette on 2 May 2025 the ITAC safeguard duties on hot-rolled steel products are a direct response to the import surge threatening ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) particularly its Newcastle and Vereeniging facilities This regulatory intervention aligns with a series of critical industry and government actions to address the severe financial and operational challenges facing AMSA as detailed in reports by Newcastillian News These efforts highlight the connection between import pressures and the broader crisis emphasising the urgent need to protect the domestic steel industry As you will recall, on 6 January 2025, AMSA announced the wind-down of its longs business in Newcastle and Vereeniging, driven by unsustainable losses exacerbated by cheap steel imports flooding the market. As reported by Newcastillian News (AMSA Announces Wind-Down of Longs Business in Newcastle and Vereeniging) this decision was a stark indicator of the competitive pressures that ITAC’s safeguard measures aim to address the duties provide AMSA with a critical opportunity to stabilise its operations and mitigate further losses in the longs business segment which is vital for producing hot-rolled steel products echoing ITAC’s findings of serious injury to the SACU industry The safeguard duties directly support NUMSA’s push for job preservation by reducing the competitive threat posed by foreign steel allowing AMSA to focus on retaining its workforce The scale of the crisis was further underscored on 16 January 2025, when Newcastillian News (ArcelorMittal Shutdown Could Lead to 20,000–25,000 Job Losses in Value Chain) reported that a potential AMSA shutdown could result in 20,000–25,000 job losses across the steel value chain This projection aligns with ITAC’s determination that the import surge is causing significant harm to the domestic industry The safeguard measures are thus a critical tool for preventing such widespread economic fallout as they aim to restore market balance and protect the supply chain reliant on AMSA’s hot-rolled steel production Additionally, Government action intensified on 4 March 2025, with last-minute talks to avert the closure of Newcastle Works. As reported by Newcastillian News (Government in Last-Minute Talks with AMSA to Avert Closures at Newcastle Works) these negotiations reflect the government’s recognition that import pressures By working to keep Newcastle Works operational the government complements the safeguard duties ensuring that AMSA can leverage the temporary protection to maintain its role as a key producer of hot-rolled steel products The additional time is crucial for AMSA to adjust to the competitive landscape which is directly impacted by the hot-rolled steel import surge Then, on 1 April 2025, AMSA CEO Kobus Verster announced a R1.6 billion rescue plan for Newcastle Works, as detailed by Newcastillian News (AMSA CEO Kobus Verster Reveals Details Behind R1.6 Billion Rescue of Newcastle Works) This financial commitment aims to enhance AMSA’s competitiveness against imported steel directly supporting ITAC’s objective of enabling the domestic industry to adapt The rescue plan focuses on sustaining Newcastle Works’ production of hot-rolled steel products reinforcing the importance of safeguard duties in creating a viable path forward for AMSA These developments collectively demonstrate how ITAC’s safeguard measures are intricately linked to the industry’s response to the import-driven crisis By addressing the surge in hot-rolled steel imports the duties provide AMSA with the breathing room needed to implement financial restructuring and potentailly maintaining its critical operations in Newcastle and Vereeniging safeguarding South Africa’s steel industry Protection of a inefficient monopoly cannt last long before the downstream industry is dead To the workers and their families It just shows after all these months and years ANC just doesn’t care a damn…As they just Love percuting those who progress and who prosper… It is hard breaking to see AMSA giant steel the last hope of SA steel producer undergoing such uncertainty Mpumalanga Highveld steel and vanadium was not spared The iron and steel industry had been a large contributor to employment and Beneficiation of our endowed raw minerals contributing a large percentage to GDP It is extremely disappointing and tragic that Government fails to act timeously until we have a crisis and threats of closure leading to Loss of jobs Sheer incompetence and negligence from the DTIC Hoping and praying that this valuable industry can be saved © 2024 Newcastillian News - KwaZulu-Natal by Pixelfish Marketing Solutions Newcastle United escaped the Amex Stadium with a point after Alexander Isak scored a last-gasp penalty in a 1-1 Premier League draw with Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday in a key result for their chase of Champions League qualification Brighton looked poised for victory after winger Yankuba Minteh struck in the first half but Isak's 89th-minute spot kick sent goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen the wrong way for his 23rd league goal of the season After seeing two second-half penalties denied by the Video Assistant Reference (VAR) it was third time lucky for Newcastle when the penalty was given after Yasin Ayari inexplicably stuck his arm out to stop Kieran Trippier's free-kick Newcastle are fourth in the table on 63 points with three games remaining three points ahead of Chelsea and Nottingham Forest Brighton are 10th in a blow to their chances of playing European football next season Minteh scored against his former team with Brighton's first decent opportunity of the match in the 28th minute when he cut the ball inside to his left foot before unleashing a blistering shot through a crowd into the far corner Newcastle twice pleaded unsuccessfully for penalties in the second half first when Anthony Gordon was fouled by Tariq Lamptey but VAR determined it was just outside the area and then when Joe Willock went down in the box but VAR ruled that contact was minimal and Willock was booked for a dive Newcastle had 13 shots overall to Brighton's five but both sides squandered chances to go ahead in the dying minutes of an entertaining match Brighton substitute Diego Gomez got away from the defence to meet a free-kick into the box but headed just wide And then Callum Wilson forced Verbruggen to make an excellent save for the visitors' final chance of the game Everything you need to know about Sven Botman's salary at Newcastle United Dutch centre-back Sven Botman has been a stalwart in defence for Newcastle United ever since his transfer from Ligue 1 side Lille in the summer of 2022 Botman became a regular starter in Eddie Howe’s side from the moment he arrived playing a key role in leading the Magpies’ backline the Dutch defender suffered an ACL injury in early 2024 which sidelined him for most of the season Although he made a brief return in December recurring knee issues forced him back out of action causing him to miss Newcastle’s historic Carabao Cup final triumph over Liverpool Botman’s current contract with the Magpies runs until 2027 and he is well-compensated for his contributions While he may not be among the highest-paid players in the squad Botman still earns a substantial salary at St GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out Eddie Howe has urged Newcastle to be ruthless in the summer transfer window as their Premier League competitors attempt to comply with strict spending rules Twelve months ago the Magpies found themselves reluctantly having to sell Elliot Anderson to Nottingham Forest and Yankuba Minteh to Brighton in order to comply with profitability and sustainability restrictions (PSR) they are in a significantly stronger position ahead of the June 30 deadline having not made a major signing in three transfer windows With suggestions that clubs such as Aston Villa Bournemouth and Forest may have to sell players in order to comply "The PSR deadline plays a huge role for clubs both those clubs with PSR issues and those without because those without may potentially look to try to sign players "They will look to take advantage of other clubs "It's a really interesting dynamic and one that we're really aware of and that we'll try to use to our advantage if we can but no doubt we've got people at the club who are working very hard behind the scenes on it." Newcastle head for Brighton on Sunday sitting third in the table and knowing Champions League qualification remains in their hands although they have a difficult run of fixtures to come After Brighton they take on top-five rivals Chelsea before playing Arsenal and Everton Newcastle will have European football next season regardless of what happens during the remainder of the campaign as their League Cup final success guarantees a Conference League place But qualifying for Europe's biggest club competition would help attract summer targets and could persuade their biggest names to remain on Tyneside Howe has addressed speculation over Alexander Isak Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon throughout the campaign but said he remains committed to adding to I can't sit here and say what's going to happen I can only say what my determination is and it is to build a team you can't consistently lose your best players." Howe confirmed that midfielder Joelinton is unlikely to play again this season after visiting a knee specialist Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player ShareSaveCommentBETAThis is a BETA experience. opt-out hereBusinessSportsMoneyWhy Newcastle United Shouldn’t Be Worried About Alexander Isak’s FormByHarry De Cosemo Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights Harry is a freelance writer on Premier League and European soccerFollow AuthorMay 05 ENGLAND - MAY 04: Alexander Isak of Newcastle United in action during the Premier League .. More match between Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Newcastle United FC at Amex Stadium on May 04 Travelling to the AMEX Stadium to face Brighton and Hove Albion on Sunday was always going to be a tough proposition for Newcastle United as it looked to maintain its Champions League qualification hopes the club directly behind them in the Premier League table after its 3-1 win over newly-crowned champions Liverpool Alexander Isak’s late penalty rescued a draw for the Magpies after Yankuba Minteh a former Newcastle winger who was sold last summer without playing a competitive match It was a moment of huge relief; in the context of the match despite an impressive performance overall with domination which maintains control over its own destiny Coach Eddie Howe spoke afterwards about the strength of Isak’s character to level the scores after having a quiet game until that point “I’ve not been there myself [taking a pressure penalty] so I can’t put myself in his shoes,” Howe said of Isak “But I can only imagine the process he is going through and then he has to stop and that’s why he did very well because it would be very “He’s got that ruthless mentality to scoring goals And that’s where you really lean on those type of players To have the coolness of mind to just take a step back and go this is what I need to do’ and deliver it for the team “It was a brilliant penalty in a big moment because we needed something from the game Brighton's Dutch goalkeeper #01 Bart Verbruggen watches the ball as he concedes a penalty from .. More Newcastle United's Swedish striker #14 Alexander Isak during the English Premier League football match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Newcastle United at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE club/league logos or 'live' services An additional 40 images may be used in extra time Social media in-match use limited to 120 images games or single club/league/player publications / (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) Yet a lot of the discourse surrounding Isak at the moment among Newcastle fans is quite negative Many are concerned that his impact on games has dwindled since the Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool on March 16 It comes after a strong run of games since December when the Swede was hitting the headlines after every game through his goals and overall play; at the moment he failed to have a single touch in the opposition box and in truth it is merely a progression of a pattern Howe suggested that Isak is becoming a victim of his own success; because of the impact he had over the winter opposition teams are planning to mark him a lot closer now making it hard for him to play with his trademark freedom Fans have noticed his runs have been less effective in recent games; he is the sort of player who doesn’t get attracted to the ball but rather finds positions and waits for it to come to him or drops deep to become part of the build up It is no coincidence he is not being found as often in dangerous areas when teams are now so focussed on stopping him Extra surveillance has also led to more space for teammates with the likes of Jacob Murphy and Harvey Barnes profiting with their own good form and setting up Sandro Tonali for a crucial It the sign of an elite striker that even when not at their best Few players have been as good as he has for Newcastle in any year Newcastle secured a point at Brighton as they look to secure Champions League football while Brentford and Manchester United played out a classic The final report is in, and it comes in courtesy of Jonathan Wilson from the Amex. Updated at 17.05 CEST2d ago16.59 CEST“Did autofill substitute ‘supposed’ for ‘surprise’, or is this some British irony I don’t get as a dumb Midwesterner?” writes Joe Pearson. It was a weird game that never seemed like being particularly thrilling. Large parts were pedestrian. But who can complain about seven goals? 2d ago16.58 CESTFull time: Brighton 1-1 NewcastleNote a bad point overall for Newcastle but with Champions League football on the line, the two dropped could prove key. Updated at 17.07 CEST2d ago16.56 CESTFull time! Brentford 4-3 Manchester UnitedThe Bees with a supposed seven-goal thriller. 2d ago16.55 CESTBrentford 4-3 Manchester United: Bayindir produces a fine save to stop Wissa from sealing the win. 2d ago16.54 CESTFull time! West Ham 1-1 TottenhamThe points are shared. 2d ago16.54 CESTBrighton 1-1 Newcastle: WHAT A SAVE! Wilson ping a shot from eight yards and Verbruggen tips it over. 2d ago16.54 CESTGOAL Brentford 4-3 Manchester United (Diallo 90+4)GAME ON 2d ago16.51 CESTBrighton 1-1 Newcastle: Veltman cleans out Gordon on the left wing to give Newcastle a free-kick in a dangerous position. It comes to nothing. 2d ago16.49 CESTBrentford 4-2 Manchester United: SEVEN ADDED ON! (THIS MATTERS LESS) 2d ago16.49 CESTBrighton 1-1 Newcastle: NINE MINUTES ADDED ON! Updated at 16.50 CEST2d ago16.47 CESTGOAL! Brighton 1-1 Newcastle (Isak, pen, 89)Isak steps up … and sends the keeper the wrong way. Then fights Verbruggen to get the ball back. 2d ago16.46 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: A long look … AND A PENALTY IS GIVEN! Third time lucky for Newcastle. 2d ago16.45 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: VAR is having a look … 2d ago16.45 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: PENALTY The visitors have a free-kick in a very dangerous position on the edge of the box … Schar lines it up it breaks through the wall off Ayari’s arm 2d ago16.41 CESTGOAL Brentford 4-2 Manchester United (Garnacho 81)The Argentinian produces a stunner into the top corner plays a one-two with Eriksen and whips it into the top corner 2d ago16.38 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: O’Reilly is penalised for a foul on Tonali in the Newcastle box. 2d ago16.38 CESTWest Ham 1-1 Tottenham: Paqueta is booked for trip the young lad Moore. 2d ago16.35 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: “I loathe VAR, but at least it’s doing its job today,” says Paul (a bitter Boro fan). “Two dodgy penalties to Newcastle? Sounds about right. I’ve long thought St. James Park is the Bermuda Triangle of football. A place where normal laws of football apply only to the away team.” 2d ago16.35 CESTGOAL Brentford 4-1 Manchester United (Wissa 74)Jensen slips a pass through to Kayode who crosses for Wissa to tap home from close range There is a check for offside … and it is eventually given 2d ago16.32 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: Wilson is being prepared for Newcastle. 2d ago16.31 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: NO PENALTY Fair play to Pawson for admitting a second error A decent effort by Willock but not good enough Brentford 3-1 Manchester United (Schade 70)Mbeumo crosses and Schade does the rest 2d ago16.27 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: Ayari and Veltman on for Brighton, Hinshelwood and Adringa off. 2d ago16.26 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: Barnes beats the defender, gets to the byline and pulls the ball back to Isak who does what he can, sending a backheel towards goal but Verbruggen deals with it. 2d ago16.24 CESTWest Ham 1-1 Tottenham: All quite end of season on the other side of London, where Spurs win their first corner of the matchin the 61st minute. 2d ago16.23 CESTBrentford 2-1 Manchester United: Jensen is preparing to come on for the Bees. 2d ago16.23 CESTBrentford 2-1 Manchester United: It is all quite slow in west London. Are both teams very tired? 2d ago16.22 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: Barnes is on the right now and cuts in to fire a shot with his left but it’s straight at the keeper. 2d ago16.17 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: OVERTURNED 2d ago16.16 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: PENALTY? Lamptey kicks Gordon just outside the box but a penalty is given. Will it be overturned? 2d ago16.15 CESTBrentford 2-1 Manchester United: Former Bees man Eriksen is brought on for Mount. 2d ago16.14 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: That is the final action for Murphy, who is replaced by Gordon. 2d ago16.13 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: Murphy takes aim from 20 yards but his shot is very wayward. 2d ago16.12 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: Wieffer is replaced by Lamptey. No point in taking the risk with him as Brighton do not want to go down to 10. 2d ago16.10 CESTBrentford 2-1 Manchester United: Garnacho is booked for moaning about being penalised for a soft foul. 2d ago16.10 CESTBrighton 1-0 Newcastle: Wieffer slides in on Tonali He is on a booking but Pawson does not think it is worthy of a second Watch Teams Matches Tickets & Membership Shop St. James' Park The highly-rated 20-year-old, who joined the Magpies from A-League side Central Coast Mariners in January 2023, recorded two goals and two assists in as many league matches at second-string level. The Australia international, who represented his country at the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar, netted a brace in the young Magpies' 7-1 thrashing of Reading at St. James' Park before registering two second-half assists against their Royals counterparts. Kuol, who spent the duration of the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Dutch outfit FC Volendam, has netted eight goals in all competitions for United's second-string, returning to action in January after suffering a quad injury during pre-season. Nominated alongside Kuol are West Ham United pair, Lewis Orford and Kamarai Sawyer as well as Braiden Graham of Everton, Chelsea's Donnell McNeilly, Divin Mubama of Manchester City, Southampton's Lewis Payne and Jack Thompson of Nottingham Forest. The winner, also chosen by the Premier League Football Development panel, will be announced later this week. Map No parade will snake through adoring crowds in the centre of the city No joyous tears will be shed or speeches delivered But in a season when Newcastle United have finally ended their long wait for a trophy The possibility represents a half-achievement for Eddie Howe and his team which is all the more impressive given the headwinds they have faced Might the Premier League title be the next bit of silverware in Newcastle’s sights It has been on the bigger-picture agenda at St James’ Park since the club’s Saudi-led takeover in October 2021 stated that the plan was to be competing for all the big prizes within five to 10 years it is not an unrealistic question to ponder now Newcastle have won 20 of their past 26 matches an unparalleled run of form (contained within a single season) in their existence as a Premier League club they are better than they have ever been and better than their rivals Newcastle have not been playing in the Champions League games which are extremely difficult to win Howe has had more time to work with a tight squad that has not been stretched unlike a year ago when their return to Europe coincided with a dreadful list of injuries And victory is not the only metric that matters Newcastle have not drawn a game since sharing six goals with Liverpool on December 4 an anomalous statistic that skews the overall landscape they lose – and often lose badly – either in the sense of who they’re playing or the circumstances: 4-1 at home to Bournemouth Liverpool have lost twice in the Premier League this season and only once since mid-September a level of consistency that lifts them above the rest of the division and 15 points clear of Arsenal Draws are important because they keep your points tally ticking over mid-season numbers are ultimately meaningless Newcastle have won 14 of their past 19 fixtures both Newcastle and Liverpool (who have played a game more) with no other team winning more than 11 times Liverpool have picked up 47 points compared to Newcastle’s 42 in this segment of the season but that is still more than any other club which means it is more than fair to describe this as title-challenging form Newcastle’s consistency stretches further back given that only Arne Slot’s side have won more league matches overall In the landscape of the club’s modern existence Howe has led his team to desperately unfamiliar territory Newcastle also won 14 of their opening 19 matches in 1995-96 a run that left them 10 points clear at the top of the Premier League was the season they finished second after being overhauled by a metronomic Manchester United (or letting it slip under the charismatic management of Sir Bobby Robson a season in which they were in a three-way title race with Manchester United and Arsenal In both of their most recent single-season stints in the Championship they had comparable runs and although the qualification here is considerable and necessary — it was a division below — Newcastle twice won the league it has left them third in the table and pushing for the Champions League again If they end the season still winning matches it would only be natural for them to be in the conversation about the title next time around It is difficult to imagine Manchester City struggling so badly again For Newcastle to trade blows — or to continue to trade blows — with those clubs there are some fairly big hurdles to overcome Howe repeatedly refers to the “small” size of his squad which is less a reference to numbers than its shallow quality And perhaps the life-cycle of this particular brilliant team whose triumph in the Carabao Cup final earned a first domestic trophy for 70 years Connected to both of those things: Newcastle have not signed a first-team-ready player for three consecutive transfer windows Liverpool have not added to the squad Slot inherited from Jurgen Klopp last summer but that comparison is not equal given their higher base and greater depth Newcastle have had much-publicised issues with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR) An unknown quantity is what might happen if other clubs attempt to poach Newcastle’s truly game-changing players It was only in February that Howe spoke in stark terms about the challenge in front of Newcastle following a rare visit to Tyneside by Yasir Al-Rumayyan the club’s chairman and governor of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) “If we’re going to catch the teams above us we’re going to need to drastically improve everything that we’re delivering,” Howe told reporters “And that goes right across the board in every department of the football club because we have so much to do to get to the top “It’s not going to happen just by thinking it “I think just purely in terms of investment and taking the team forward but it’s through no one’s fault and we have to live in the world of reality We know that we want to take the team forward again we have ideas to do it and hopefully we can make that happen in the future It may take a bit of time because these clubs we’re talking about are way ahead of us.” Whether that timeline can change or has changed is uncertain and the point of this article is actually not to exert pressure or to acclaim Newcastle as future champions but rather to recognise and celebrate an extraordinary moment in their history It also feels slightly strange; in some ways this does not feel like a wholly transformational season in part because of those heavy defeats mentioned above in part because of its early inconsistency and in part because of the uncertainty they carried into it Howe’s success in this area is truly remarkable Retreat 11 months and Newcastle were scrambling to hit their PSR target and contemplating a 10-point deduction in the Premier League the ramifications of which lingered with them Paul Mitchell arrived as sporting director with Howe given no notice and it felt as though a club that had revelled in its own unity post-takeover was unravelling After their 4-2 defeat at Brentford on December 7 Newcastle were 12th in the table and wobbling there was some noise about Howe’s position and there were a series of one-to-one meetings between head coach and players and what is now regarded as a crucial reset at the training ground Newcastle allowed Miguel Almiron and Lloyd Kelly to leave their use of data and performance metrics developing but with no help in terms of playing reinforcements a sharp improvement that survived his own absence from the touchline for three matches as he recovered from pneumonia Perhaps his illness was symbolic given that so much of what surrounded it was so difficult and such hard work the man who changed everything for a club that tried and failed The past five months — to repeat: half a season but enough time to be more than fluke — have shown that it is within his capabilities to change things again winning the title was framed as “the impossible dream” George Caulkin has been reporting on football in the North East of England since 1994, 21 of those years for The Times. There have been a few ups, a multitude of downs and precisely one meaningful trophy. Follow George on Twitter @GeorgeCaulkin as they make the long trip down south to face Brighton & Hove Albion The Magpies' Champions League hopes were boosted by Nottingham Forest's 2-0 defeat at home to Brentford on Thursday meaning they restored their two-point buffer over the sixth-placed side After succumbing at Villa Park two weeks ago who was back on the sidelines after recovering from an illness oversaw a processional 3-0 victory over Ipswich Town last Saturday to confirm the Tractor Boys' relegation They're now hunting their first Premier League win away at Brighton and are aiming to avenge the two defeats Fabian Hurzeler's men have inflicted upon them this season The Seagulls have impressively won twice at St James' Park and could do with another positive result this weekend to strengthen their European hopes They're in with a cluster of teams hopeful of securing an eighth-place finish which may be enough for a Conference League spot A dramatic 3-2 win over West Ham last time out could prove critical in their pursuit Here is Sports Illustrated's guide to Sunday's Premier League clash Joao Pedro is suspended for the hosts / IMAGO / Pro Sports ImagesBrighton have been hit hard by injuries this season and Hurzeler hasn't been handed much respire during the run-in Joao Pedro serves the second game of his suspension after he was sent off at Brentford two weeks ago with summer arrival Matt O'Riley filling in for the Brazilian last week against West Ham so the former Celtic star may retain his place in the XI on Sunday the Brighton boss could reintroduce Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh to his starting lineup after the pair were named on the bench against West Ham Joel Veltman could also start at right-back to offer a sturdier defensive presence against an impressive Newcastle frontline Joelinton's season might be over / IMAGO / News ImagesJoe Willock, who made his first Premier League start since February against Ipswich, is set to retain his place in Newcastle's midfield due to Joelinton's absence The Brazilian international is dealing with a knee injury could keep him out for the remainder of the season Lewis Hall remains out due an ankle injury while Jamaal Lascelles hasn't kicked a ball all season after tearing his ACL Harvey Barnes has enjoyed a prolonged run in the team down Newcastle's left but we could see Anthony Gordon return to Howe's XI on Sunday Sven Botman is also in contention after appearing off the bench last week While Brighton have slogged their way through the run-in so far last week's victory over West Ham should hand Hurzeler's men a huge boost heading into the final month of the season their record against the Magpies this term combined with Newcastle's inability to prevail at the Amex in the Premier League bodes well for the hosts the visitors rank among the division's form teams despite losing two weeks ago and there's no doubt that they've got the capacity to hurt a defensively frail Brighton side but they may be forced to settle for a point here The Seagulls have seemingly got a knack against Howe's men JAMES CORMACK The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Alexander Isak's late penalty snatched a potentially vital point for Newcastle United in their quest for UEFA Champions League qualification as they drew 1-1 at Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday Isak stroked home in the 89th minute (pictured below) after Brighton substitute Yasin Ayari blocked Fabian Schar's free-kick with his arm, keeping Newcastle in fourth, above Chelsea on goals scored ahead of the Magpies and the Blues facing off at St James' Park next weekend Yankuba Minteh had earlier showed his former club what they were missing with a well-taken opener 28 minutes into an otherwise quiet first half at Amex Stadium However, the third penalty decision proved a gut-wrenching blow for Brighton, who sit 10th, having fallen behind Brentford and AFC Bournemouth in the hunt for a potential European place Bart Verbruggen touched wide from Harvey Barnes after a mix-up between Van Hecke and Mats Wieffer before Willock's driving run ended with a poked effort over the target However, Brighton struck first when Minteh danced around two tackles to the right of the area and fired past the unsighted Nick Pope, aided by a slight Dan Burn deflection Eddie Howe responded by sending on Gordon shortly after the interval and that change almost paid dividends when Lamptey felled the winger only for a VAR check to recommend a free-kick rather than penalty Willock was cautioned for simulation after the VAR recommended an onfield review with referee Craig Pawson deeming Van Hecke to have made minimal contact that was not sufficient for a penalty It was a case of third time lucky for Newcastle when Ayari dangled an arm at Schar's free-kick though both sides could have stolen it at the death Diego Gomez headed a glorious chance wide from Brajan Gruda's free-kick before Callum Wilson saw a fierce effort tipped over by Verbruggen Brighton were slow to get going and hardly looked like a side inspired by a stoppage-time winner last time out in the Premier League, courtesy of Carlos Baleba’s stunner against West Ham United Another moment of individual magic sparked the Amex into life, however, as Minteh left both Tino Livramento and Sandro Tonali in his tracks before steering into the left-hand corner to do the damage against the club who sold him last year A surging Baleba run then allowed Minteh more room just four minutes after the interval, though his teasing cross was cleared by Schar with Danny Welbeck lurking Minteh saw another effort parried away by Pope from a tight angle at the other end before Newcastle finally hit back Hurzeler will have to pick his side back up before next Saturday's visit to Wolverhampton Wanderers as they continue their battle with Bournemouth Brentford and Fulham for possible European qualification Newcastle came flying out the blocks even without injured midfielder Joelinton whose knee issue could spell the end of his campaign The energetic Barnes forced an early save by Verbruggen, who also kept out Jacob Murphy's cross-shot from the other flank – but Newcastle failed to capitalise on that momentum Bruno Guimaraes tested Verbruggen again after Minteh's opener but Howe appeared frustrated heading into half-time A lack of changes did not last long into the second period as Howe hauled off the largely ineffective Murphy for Gordon whose bursting run was unfortunate to not end in a penalty from Lamptey's flailing leg Barnes then attempted to replicate a finish from a similar angle to Minteh's strike but Verbruggen stood firm shortly before Willock's tumble saw another penalty decision reviewed A third penalty shout saved the day for the Magpies as Isak slotted home his 23rd Premier League goal this season With a superior goal difference to Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa in sixth and seventh respectively and chasers Chelsea to visit St James' Park next week Isak's effort kept Newcastle's top-five hopes in their own hands Brighton report | Newcastle report Yankuba Minteh (20y 286d) is the fourth youngest African player to reach 10 goal involvements in the Premier League (six goals four assists) after Kelechi Iheanacho (19y 322d) Peter Ndlovu (20y 72d) and Alex Iwobi (20y 273d) Alexander Isak is the first Newcastle player to score 23 goals in a Premier League season since Alan Shearer in 2001/02 (also 23) Only Leicester City (14) have conceded the opening goal in more Premier League away matches this season than Newcastle (12 – level with Southampton and Wolves); however the Magpies have rescued the most points from such situations this season (14 – W4 D2) Arsenal could also be dragged into the mix The race for Champions League football next season continues to be too tough to call after another pivotal set of results in the Premier League Ahead of Nottingham Forest’s trip to Crystal Palace on Monday night, Chelsea, Manchester City and Aston Villa all recorded important wins... but Newcastle again dropped points In an interesting turn of events, Arsenal’s home defeat to Bournemouth means they are also not yet guaranteed a top-five finish needing five more points from their final three games With that in mind, here is the state of the race to finish in the top five... According to Opta, Manchester City now have a 97.69 per cent chance of finishing in the top five. Four wins of the spin, including a victory over Villa, plus the easiest run-in, on paper, of their rivals means Pep Guardiola & Co. appear set to return to Europe’s top table. The same cannot be said of Nottingham Forest, who have lost three of their last four games. Opta gave them a whopping 80% of securing a first-ever qualification for the Champions League, since its rebrand over 30 years ago, but their chances are now almost halved to 44.32% Newcastle United appear to have benefited most from Forest’s slump. Despite being thumped 4-1 by Aston Villa and then scrapping a 1-1 draw at Brighton, thanks to Alexander Isak’s late penalty, Newcastle still have a 77.89% chance of finishing in the top five. Palmer ends long goal drought as Chelsea beat champions Liverpool Chelsea vs Liverpool LIVE: Premier League latest score and updates Potter explains why Paqueta burst into tears when shown a yellow card Chelsea have impressed the most during the run-in. Handed the toughest run-in, a last-gap win over Fulham was followed by a narrow victory over Everton, and on Sunday they beat champions Liverpool. Those three wins have been the Blues’ chances climb from 29.73% to 66.52%. Aston Villa have the weakest shot, sitting at 13.69%. The match will be broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports. Supporters in other countries can check their local broadcaster here Supporters can also listen to BBC Radio Newcastle commentary across newcastleunited.com and the Official Newcastle United App with a Newcastle United Account Our Match Centre will provide minute-by-minute updates Fans can also chose their Player of the Match at full-time Match updates will be provided across the club's social media accounts. Follow them here: X | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube | TikTok | Threads Highlights will be available on newcastleunited.com and the Official Newcastle United App two hours after the match A full match replay will be available the following day Fabian Hurzeler confirmed that Jan Paul van Hecke is available to start on Sunday having missed the Seagulls' previous match and Kaoru Mitoma are all ready to start having been unavailable in recent weeks Hurzeler said: "(he) joined [in training] yesterday so he will be also maybe be an option to be in the squad Everything is looking a little bit more positive." We will wear our away kit, featuring navy and burgundy hooped shirts, white shorts, and navy and burgundy socks. You can buy the away kit here. Brighton will wear their home kit, featuring blue and white striped shirts, blue shorts, and white socks. While all eyes at Newcastle United are on their push for Champions League qualification, Eddie Howe’s side will be on some kind of continental campaign next time out Indeed, Newcastle have qualified for the Conference League by winning the Carabao Cup in March no one at the club will actually want to play in that competition but the point is that there will be more games added to the schedule next season Fortunately, Newcastle insiders think they can spend this summer. That will be a huge boost for the Newcastle United manager who has not seen his squad significantly strengthened since the summer of 2023 expecting the club to make a series of big-name signings feels unwise in a PSR-dominated world Not every gap can be filled in one single transfer window With that in mind, Howe could do with turning to the Newcastle youth ranks in an attempt to further reinforce his senior side. One of the more well-known youngsters in Garang Kuol has just been recognised for his form READ MORE: Who is Garang Kuol? Height, Position, Transfer, Family and More As confirmed by the Newcastle United official website Kuol has been nominated for the Premier League 2 Player of the Month Award The Australia international scored twice while registering the same number of assists in just two Premier League 2 outings for the Newcastle United Under-21 side during the month of April Kuol admits training with the Newcastle first-team has been difficult but is certainly proving a prolific forward option at youth level That obviously doesn’t mean he’ll translate it on the senior stage if and when his chance comes but Kuol isn’t doing his chances any harm The 20-year-old is yet to have been trusted by Howe in a competitive sense just yet but is starting to impress those within the Newcastle coaching set-up Indeed, Kuol is highly rated by the Newcastle U21 manager with Diarmuid O’Carroll suggesting the Australia international could score goals in the senior side Newcastle fans are keen to see Kuol handed a chance and while that feels very unlikely any time soon perhaps the increased schedule next time out could see him start to make his way into the team He hasn’t had the easiest time of things at Newcastle but Kuol is seemingly starting to come good This week’s FPL Challenge continues with the "Race for Europe" theme players from the match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United will score DOUBLE points with managers selecting a 5-a-side team using an unlimited budget FPL expert Sam Bonfield reveals how she’s tackling Gameweek 35 Over the last few weeks I have deployed mixed strategies In Double Gameweek 33 (DGW33) it made sense to target both players with two matches as well as players who were scoring double in their race for Europe match In Blank Gameweek 34 (BGW34) I only invested in players from the double match to try and maximise my points This week I am tempted to do similar again This is one area of the pitch that I don't feel comfortable investing from the race for Europe fixture Both Newcastle and Brighton have been solid in front of goal this season and I can see both sides scoring With that in mind I have opted against investing in one of these goalkeepers Both have the potential to end the match on two points doubled to four and therefore choosing a goalkeeper with the potential for a clean sheet should outscore the Brighton and Newcastle 'keepers In goal I have opted for Mark Flekken (£4.4m) Having only kept six clean sheets this season Flekken maybe isn't the obvious choice but the Brentford shot stopper however has made 138 saves this season at least 27 more than any other goalkeeper From those saves he has registered 36 save points the next most is 27 from Aaron Ramsdale (£4.4m) Flekken faces a Manchester United side who will be in the middle of their two UEFA Europa League ties which will take their full focus I'm therefore expecting a weakened United side as well as an increased likelihood of a clean sheet for Brentford as a result Last week in the main game I brought in Kieran Trippier (£5.7m) on my Free-Hit and enjoyed his 15-point haul I have opted for him in my Fantasy Challenge team this week with the potential upside that he brings with his set-piece responsibility With strong attacking threat and his points being doubled meant that I felt it was worth risking Trippier over defenders who have more potential for a clean sheet this Gameweek I also considered Brentford's Nathan Collins (£4.5m) who has nine attacking returns for the season with Flekken in goal I decided not to double up on the Brentford defence as they have only kept six clean sheets this season I have decided to double up on the forwards this week therefore only leaving me with one space for a midfielder who has been excellent for a number of weeks in the main game The Newcastle winger has blanked just once in the last six Gameweeks and has registered 48 points in that time I did consider Harvey Barnes (£6.0m) instead as he has also been in excellent form and has also scored 48 points in the same period I still might yet move for both Newcastle midfielders but I will have a close eye on the teamsheet just in case we see Anthony Gordon (£7.4m) pick up his first start since Gameweek 27 Another option if I decide to change the formation is to go for Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma (£6.4m) Mitoma will also benefit from double points and has scored in each of Brighton's last two matches He always feels likely to be involved in a Brighton goal Mohamed Salah (£13.8m) also shouldn't be forgotten here despite not scoring double points The Egyptian made it clear after Liverpool won the league last weekend that he wants to achieve the goal involvement record for a Premier League season and therefore I can see him doing well away at Chelsea In attack I have opted for the double points double-up He is on penalty duty and has scored the most goals this season among forwards Alongside him is Brighton's Danny Welbeck (£5.5m) Joao Pedro (£5.5m) remains suspended after his red card in Double Gameweek 33 and therefore it is likely that Welbeck will once again lead the attack and should now be on penalties if Brighton were to be given one Welbeck has registered 13 attacking returns this season with nine goals and four assists and so the pull of the double points means that he could be a great pick in challenge this week As it stands, Newcastle United will qualify for the Champions League. They sit fourth in the Premier League but have little margin for error left ahead of the final three games, starting with a massive clash against Chelsea at St James’ Park on Sunday Eddie Howe’s side drew 1-1 with Brighton on Sunday but there are positives to take They battled back from behind against a team who have constantly bested them at the Amex Stadium over the last few years Beat Chelsea on Sunday and what has already been an historic campaign should end in a return to Europe’s elite club competition even if not claiming all three points in a race this tight is a blow Indeed, pundit Wayne Rooney thinks they are only a few tweaks away from getting back to winning ways on a consistent basis Speaking on Match of the Day 2 on Sunday Rooney moved to assure supporters that Newcastle would soon start winning games “comfortably” The Manchester United and England legend revealed he really enjoys watching Howe’s side having been impressed by their desire to keep pushing in games Rooney also thinks they dominated the game against Brighton “I think Newcastle are a really good team and a good watch as well,” he said but what I liked about them was that they kept pushing “They kept finding themselves in the right areas and doing the right things – it was just their little details They have to get those right and then they win games comfortably.” both this season and in terms of what’s to come Indeed, Rooney thinks Manchester United should be scared of Newcastle who have overtaken them in the Premier League’s power positions It’s hard to disagree. Howe’s side have won 20 of their last 27 games and a draw away at Brighton is hardly a disaster, even if the fact Manchester City, Aston Villa and Chelsea won their games this weekend further tighten the Premier League table If Newcastle’s big players are on form for what are effectively three cup finals to come the Champions League will return to St James’ Having failed to sign first-team players for what feels like an age now, Newcastle United’s options behind their largely excellent starting eleven are not all that compelling Still, Eddie Howe does have a few areas in which there is depth Lewis Miley and Sean Longstaff are all capable replacements for Joelinton in central midfield where Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes start Out on the left wing, there’s also a battle for a starting berth. Harvey Barnes is currently the starting option there, while Anthony Gordon is pushing to reclaim his spot in the starting lineup Speaking after Newcastle’s 1-1 draw with Brighton Howe claimed it was Gordon’s “job” to impress him off the bench That could suggest the 24-year-old will remain there over the final few games of the campaign. Barnes has been excellent for Newcastle this season, while Jacob Murphy has been one of the Premier League’s most effective forwards out on the right Gordon replaced Murphy with Barnes shifting over to the right on Sunday and won what first looked to have been a penalty after he was fouled by Tariq Lamptey although referee Craig Pawson overturned the decision after VAR deemed the contact had taken place outside the box #BHANEW – 57’ VAR OVERTURNVAR checked the referee’s call of penalty for the challenge by Lamptey on Gordon and recommended that play restarted with a Newcastle free kick as the contact was outside the penalty area Asked whether or not Gordon played well, the Newcastle United manager said (via The Northern Echo): “Definitely when he gets an opportunity he has to come on the pitch and show his qualities He made one lovely pass to Bruno that could have ended up with a different outcome He influenced the game with the penalty decision and although it wasn’t given it gives a feeling the momentum is with us.” Gordon’s positive running helped Newcastle inject some energy into their performance but it’s hard to imagine Howe would have seen enough to drop Barnes all of a sudden Barnes had much more time on the pitch than Gordon did but produced far more in the way of shots and key passes That’s not to say Gordon can’t play a big role in the final three games He’s been an excellent player for Newcastle but Barnes is deserving of his starting role Ipswich Town were relegated from the Premier League on Saturday following a 3-0 defeat at Newcastle United with the visitors reduced to 10 men after Ben Johnson was sent off for picking up two yellow cards in the first half 15 behind West Ham United with four games left while Newcastle moved up to third place on 62 five behind second-placed Arsenal and one ahead of Manchester City in fourth in the race for Champions League football next season Needing a victory to have any mathematical chance of staying up the scale of the task facing the visitors quickly became apparent as Newcastle attacked in waves and had a goal disallowed in the 22nd minute when Bruno Guimaraes was found to have obstructed goalkeeper Alex Palmer Things went from bad to worse for Ipswich when Johnson was booked for diving in the 30th minute and sent off seven minutes later as he picked up his second yellow card for pulling back Alexander Isak Sandro Tonali fired a shot off the woodwork before Newcastle finally took the lead in first-half stoppage time Isak scoring from the spot after Julio Enciso was penalised for pulling down Jacob Murphy With Newcastle raining crosses and set-pieces into the box Dan Burn netted the second with a header 11 minutes after the break climbing highest to steer the ball home from close range By now the 10-man Tractor Boys were hanging on grimly but there was no respite as Newcastle brought Anthony Gordon Callum Wilson and William Osula off the bench Osula netted a towering header from a corner two minutes after coming on to consign Ipswich to the drop Town defender Luke Woolfenden said a lack of concentration was partially to blame for his side's relegation after they had jumped from League One to the Premier League in two seasons "Obviously disappointed but within the group and support there is a sense of pride over where we have come from," he said "We've not been at it this season - I think we have probably let ourselves down one too many times." "Disappointed and gutted the dream is over .. we went over to the away end at the end and it's full We want to come back here and give a better account of ourselves in 14 months and go toe to toe with Newcastle." Assuming Arsenal and Manchester City will join Premier League champions Liverpool in the Champions League next season, Newcastle United are one of four teams going for the final two spots Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa are also in the hunt as Eddie Howe’s side look to secure a top five finish in the Premier League table Newcastle saw both Villa and Chelsea win over the course of the weekend After another dramatic weekend in the Champions League battle, Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville gave his prediction Neville thinks the Champions League race is “sad” suggesting the fact that clubs like Newcastle are so “desperate” for the revenue it brings is a poor reflection on the modern game Speaking after Chelsea’s win over Liverpool on Sunday Neville reiterated those comments but still backed Howe’s side to reach Europe’s elite club competition once again “I think [Man] City will get in the Champions League and I think now Newcastle will,” he said on The Gary Neville Podcast “Because of what’s happened with PSR and the financial stuff in the last few years where so many teams – big clubs – like [Manchester] United “Of sort of breaking the rules and overspending It really does hamper them and harm them when they don’t get in the Champions League so you’re going to have some nervous boardrooms in the next few weeks.” it’s really big and I’m not quite sure it’s right that football is like that the title is sorted and we’ve got what would be games for money.”  A win would have been ideal of course but heading to the Amex Stadium has not been easy for Newcastle over the years Battling back from behind was a strong show of character Seven points from their final three games will be enough to ensure a top five finish Two of those – with one against Chelsea no less – come at home Seven points from the last 3 games guarantees Newcastle top five. The point today was huge in terms of keeping it in their hands. https://t.co/rxepL7kaJR Newcastle could earn £17million by qualifying for the Champions League, while also strengthening their hand in terms of keeping their best players and attracting potential transfer targets this summer.   There are three cup finals left. Having already won one this season, Newcastle have to feel confident. Mail back pageEnd of image galleryPublished1 May 2025Newcastle are interested in Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo but could be deterred by his price tag while the Magpies will also not enter a summer-long pursuit of Bournemouth defender Dean Huijsen Manchester United consider a move for Jonathan Tah Newcastle are interested in Brentford and Cameroon forward Bryan Mbeumo, 25, but are concerned by his £60m price tag. (Telegraph - subscription required), external Newcastle will also not enter a summer-long pursuit of Bournemouth centre-back Dean Huijsen, 20, after learning from last year's failed attempts to sign 24-year-old England defender Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace. (i paper), external Manchester United are considering a move for Germany centre-back Jonathan Tah, 29, in the summer after his contract expires at Bayer Leverkusen. (Sky Sports), external Arsenal could face a battle with Paris St-Germain to sign Roma's 25-year-old Ivory Coast defender Evan Ndicka, who is valued between £25-34m. (Mirror), external Chelsea are not looking to offload their record £107m signing, Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez, 24, who is a long-term target for Real Madrid. (Sky Sports), external Manchester United have agreed a deal to sign 18-year-old French forward Enzo Kana-Biyik from Le Havre. (Fabrizio Romano), external Bayer Leverkusen want to prevent their Germany attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz from joining Bayern Munich this summer, with Manchester City and Real Madrid also interested in the 21-year-old. (Sky Germany - in German), external Real Madrid are happy for Ukraine goalkeeper Andriy Lunin, 26, to leave the club this season, with Chelsea's 30-year-old Spaniard Kepa Arrizabalaga, currently on loan at Bournemouth, being considered as a replacement. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish), external Aston Villa are considering a move for Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, 33, who will leave Manchester City at the end of the season. (Football Insider), external Crystal Palace would want more than £80m if they are to sell England midfielder Adam Wharton, 21, this summer. (Teamtalk), external Listen to the latest Football Daily podcast Rodrygo considering Real Madrid exit - Thursday's gossip Get the latest from your club Top storiesHis stats are better but will Yamal build legacy to rival Messi 'Calamity keeper' or 'human wall' - which Donnarumma will Arsenal face Premier League reaction & Champions League race latest as Forest draw at Palace The final series of Man Like Mobeen has arrived John Simm stars in the provocative 90s drama Warm-hearted comedy with Ben Miller and Sally Phillips Follow two ambitious river restoration projects Who has made Troy's Premier League team of the week Trailblazer Zhao set to take snooker to 'another level' in China Alexander-Arnold leaves as modern Liverpool great - but fans will feel hurt Zhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights VideoZhao beats Williams in historic final - highlights 'Scheffler and DeChambeau wins further raise US PGA excitement levels' Match-fixing scandal to Crucible champion - fall and rise of Zhao 'We need to take a look at ourselves' - 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He started the Carabao Cup final win over Liverpool and has four goals and four assists in his last seven Premier League appearances £30m was a risk for a young player with a cruciate ligament tear on their injury report but the 22-year-old has recovered well from that and certainly has the potential to be the Geordies’ long-term starting right-back with Hall on the other side Pope might not be the most convincing with the ball at his feet but he is undoubtedly a very solid goalkeeper and has been crucial since the start of 2022/23 The fact Newcastle have looked fine without him in goal and were debatably better with Martin Dubravka has knocked Pope down a spot or two He really needs to overcome his fitness issues because Botman is a crucial player for Newcastle – if he can return to the level he was playing in 2022/23 The betting ban defined Sandro Tonali’s first season at Newcastle and led many to write him off but he’s been absolutely world-class this year Gordon has 22 goals and 23 assists in 102 appearances for Newcastle and has established himself as one of the best wingers in the country He needs Harvey Barnes to have a stinker soon to get back in the team READ MORE: Newcastle have a gem in Gordon and we have never been so wrong about a player Trippier was the first big name through the door under the new Saudi regime and he led by example from day one the Brazil international would walk into any starting XI in world football He wears his heart on his sleeve and his passion makes him the sort of player capable of endearing himself to any supporter Isak has 53 goals in 83 Premier League matches after scoring 33 in 105 La Liga matches for Real Sociedad He also netted some crucial goals en route to Carabao glory and is the one player in this Newcastle team we think is truly irreplaceable No matter how much the income from his potential exit can potentially help them in the long run it won’t be more beneficial than keeping him READ NOW: Ten Premier League stars at risk of being poached by Real Madrid in summer rebuild Paul Merson has told Arsenal that they will “win the league by 10 points” next season if they are able to land an elite star from a Premier League rival .. © Planet Sport Limited 2025 • All Rights Reserved