Eddie Howe reflects on what happened on Sunday at the Amex Stadium | OneFootball

Eddie Howe watched on as Sunday ended Brighton 1 Newcastle 1.

A match where Newcastle United were clearly the better and more dominant team, yet it ended up looking like it just wasn’t going to be NUFC’s day.

After VAR had ruled out two penalties awarded by the referee on the pitch, it was finally a third one that couldn’t be dismissed. Alexander Isak so cool as he slotted home the 89th minute equaliser.

Poor defending, especially from the usually so reliable Sandro Tonali, allowed Minteh’s enterprising play to put Brighton ahead via a deflection off Dan Burn.

As Eddie Howe says when reflecting after this match, a lot to like about Newcastle’s performance but the creativity in and around the box, as well as the finishing, wasn’t quite up to the same standard of the general play.

Eddie Howe reflecting on Brighton 1 Newcastle 1:

“It’s probably a good point for us, even though we came here to win.

“Our final pass and cross probably wasn’t at its finest level.

“We were very disappointed with how we conceded.

“We did enough to warrant a point, if not more.

“I thought we were the team trying to win the game.

“Brighton are a difficult team to stop.

“We chased the game with intelligence and ultimately got our reward.

“We were chasing [after equalising], desperately trying to win.

“We were going for it which I think we have to in our position, I’m proud of how we fought back in the game.

“I have no major criticism [of the Newcastle players] other than maybe we were not creative enough and not at our clinical best in front of goal.

“When you are 1-0 down you have to be grateful for the point.

“We are certainly stronger with it than without it.

“We were tactically very good and I give full credit to the players, because Brighton are a difficult team to stop and not only that, but how we chased the game as well.”

Eddie Howe on the battle to try and get a Champions League place:

“It is all to play for.

“We have three huge games, three very tough games, in different ways.

“Two of them are at home and we hope that can make the difference.

We have got top quality teams fighting for a massive prize.

“We just hope we are in there.”

Eddie Howe on Alexander Isak taking the ‘third’ penalty after two previous ones were disallowed:

“There was quite a long wait before the third penalty was called and I thought the third one was a stonewall penalty.

“I think that is what VAR is there for.”

Brighton 1 Newcastle 1 – Sunday 4 May 2025 2pm

(Stats via BBC Sport)

Goals:

Newcastle United:

Isak 89 pen

Brighton

Minteh 28

Possession was Newcastle 54% Brighton 46%

Total shots were Newcastle 13 Ipswich 5

Shots on target were Newcastle 5 Brighton 2

Corners were Newcastle 4 Brighton 1

Touches in the box Newcastle 32 Brighton 17

Newcastle team v Brighton:

Pope, Trippier (Krafth 97), Schar (Botman 97), Burn, Livramento, Willock (Wilson 74), Tonali, Bruno, Barnes, Isak, Murphy (Gordon 56)

Unused subs:

Dubravka, Osula, Longstaff, Miley, Neave

(Brighton 1 Newcastle 1 – Match ratings and comments on all Newcastle United players – Read HERE)