Newcastle pay price for missed chances as Danny Welbeck seals win for Brighton

Danny Welbeck’s fifth goal of the season snatched a smash-and-grab victory at Newcastle as Brighton banked another three Premier League points.

Welbeck’s 35th-minute strike came decidedly against the run of play as the Magpies dominated much of the game, but were made to pay for not taking their chances.

Seagulls keeper Bart Verbruggen made a series of fine saves to keep Eddie Howe’s men at bay and ensure it was they who emerged with the points in a 1-0 win

Brighton’s afternoon was soured slightly by Welbeck’s departure on a stretcher after being caught in the back by Fabian Schar.

Jacob Murphy denied fit-again team-mate Alexander Isak when he unwittingly got in the way of his 12th-minute shot after Anthony Gordon had skipped passed Joel Veltman and pulled the ball back for the Sweden international.

Verbruggen was then fortunate to escape after dwelling on the ball and allowing Gordon to charge down his attempted clearance.

Gordon and Bruno Guimaraes both saw shots blocked in quick succession with the visitors hanging on, although Schar might have done better with a 25th-minute free-kick which he pulled wide after Guimaraes had been tripped by Welbeck 25 yards out.

Joelinton headed wide from Gordon’s 31st-minute back-post corner but Verbruggen made a fine one-on-one save to prevent Isak from opening the scoring after Guimaraes had split the Seagulls’ rearguard with an inch-perfect through-ball two minutes later.

However, it was the visitors who took the lead 10 minutes before the break with their first foray into the Magpies’ penalty area, Welbeck controlling Lewis Dunk’s free-kick before exchanging passes with Georginio Rutter and stabbing a shot past the advancing Nick Pope.

Verbruggen had to tip away Gordon’s curling