Danny Welbeck bags brace as Brighton win battle with Newcastle

Danny Welbeck scored a brace as Brighton recorded a 2-1 Premier League victory over Newcastle at the Amex Stadium.

Eddie Howe’s visitors looked to have rescued a point their efforts warranted when Nick Woltemade produced a sublime moment of skill to equalise with a devilish back-heel, 14 minutes from time.

Brighton had gone ahead in the first half through Welbeck, who clipped a lovely finish past Nick Pope after Newcastle’s midfield had seemingly evaporated.

And the former England forward produced another flash of poise and precision to bend home an 84th-minute winner, as Fabian Hurzeler’s side made it three wins this season against Champions League opposition.

Newcastle might wonder fairly how they had lost a game which they largely had seemed to control, though Brighton’s clinical attacking play was a threat that never went away.

Early on, Joelinton played the ball blindly deep inside his own half to the lurking Welbeck, who with speed of thought laid it off to Georginio Rutter.

Pope had to be at full stretch to get down low and save his team as Rutter shot low for the corner.

Yankuba Minteh then got in down the right for Brighton but chose to pass rather than to shoot. The ball was never on, allowing Malick Thiaw to shovel it to safety.

Brighton lost Diego Gomez after 35 minutes, following an earlier collision with Pope. It did nothing to disturb their rhythm and they went in ahead at half-time.

Rutter took possession in midfield and seemed to wrong-foot Sandro Tonali and the rest of the Newcastle midfield with a clever, sudden burst down the centre, driving into space and rolling the ball up for Welbeck, who glided into a wide-open hole between the two central defenders to finish with unerring cool.

Minteh helped