Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Chronicle Live
Chronicle Live
Sport
Ciaran Kelly

Newcastle United photograph reveals truth and players' brilliant Eddie Howe Castore observation

What is the phrase? A picture is worth a thousand words? Well, the snapshot of the scenes in the home dressing room told its own story following Newcastle United's 2-1 win against Brighton.

Unused substitutes Miguel Almiron and Dwight Gayle genuinely looked as happy as goalscorers Ryan Fraser and Fabian Schar in the team photograph while first-team physiotherapist Daniel Marti and kitman Neil Stoker were just as prominent as head coach Eddie Howe and assistant Jason Tindall. Even the injured Kieran Trippier popped by on crutches.

There will be players in this picture who are desperate for more game time, but the truth is that Howe has created a team-first environment they all want to be a part of since taking charge. So much so, some of these individuals even gave their all while playing as 'Brighton' during a 10-minute training game on Friday morning.

Go here for all the latest Newcastle United news

For all the money Newcastle spent in the mid-season window, this picture was another timely reminder of the spirit and togetherness at the heart of the club's turnaround under Howe. These post-match team photographs have fast become a tradition that shows no signs of stopping.

Newcastle have now won five of their last six games to move seven points clear of the relegation zone. The Magpies have not tasted defeat in the Premier League since the week before Christmas, which is the longest current unbeaten run in the top-flight. This is the club's best run of form since 2011, when Newcastle qualified for Europe.

However, no one was jumping up and down or getting carried away in the dressing room at St James' Park after the game. Attention has already turned to next week's trip to Southampton and the players were due back in on Sunday to review the Brighton win and to start preparing for the game at St Mary's.

You can understand why the squad have never really seen Howe in his own clothes because the Newcastle head coach is always thinking about the next challenge in his Castore training kit - wherever he is. That was even the case during some downtime on the club's warm-weather training camp in Jeddah in January or when Howe took staff out for a bonding session at the Three Mile Inn shortly after his appointment back in November.

Howe has enjoyed more impressive victories since taking charge but, perhaps, this was the most hard-earned, typified by the performance of the towering Dan Burn at the back against his former club. The reality is that Newcastle would not have won this game not so long ago in a pre-Burn era.

It was only seven weeks previously that nervy Newcastle squandered a lead against Watford, after all, and the Magpies threw away a whopping 21 points from winning positions earlier in the campaign. Skipper Jamaal Lascelles spoke of how that mentality had 'flipped' in his programme notes and, as tense as this game against Brighton was late on, Newcastle held firm.

Even without the influential Callum Wilson, Allan Saint-Maximin and Kieran Trippier in the starting line-up, who have scored 43% of Newcastle's goals this season and help make this side tick, the hosts found a way thanks to two quickfire goals from Ryan Fraser and Fabian Schar before the quarter-hour mark. However, as strange as it is to say about a two-goal advantage, that was far from a comfortable lead and Lewis Dunk pulled a goal back in the 55th minute to make Newcastle sweat.

There is a reason why Newcastle had never previously beaten Brighton at St James' in the Premier League. In fact, the black-and-whites had never even scored against the Seagulls before Saturday.

It is not an exaggeration to say that Brighton are one of the best travelling sides in the division after previously lost just two league games on the road this season. Graham Potter's side are tactically flexible and quickly get a foothold in games with their ability to move the ball.

Brighton had 68% possession at St James' - a remarkable statistic for a visiting side - but Newcastle's discipline and tireless work off the ball made it difficult for the Seagulls to break through. Indeed, the visitors, ultimately, had just as many shots on target (four) as Newcastle despite having so much of the ball.

Perhaps, it was not a surprise that there were a few bumps and bruises after the game - Fraser looked shattered when he was taken off late on - following a huge physical effort from the very first minute. Brighton quickly settled at St James' and Newcastle appeared relatively content to let the visitors have the ball because there would be openings on the break.

There were just 12 minutes on the clock when Matt Targett blocked Marc Cucurella's cross and ruthless Newcastle soon took full advantage. The ball fell to Joe Willock on the edge of his own box and the midfielder quickly picked out Chris Wood, who turned Lewis Dunk before cutting Brighton open with a through ball into Jacob Murphy's path.

Murphy raced clear and, as Sanchez rushed out of his goal, the winger coolly dinked the 'keeper. Although Murphy's effort bounced off the far post, Fraser followed it all the way and lashed home the rebound from close range.

If the noise that followed that goal was deafening, well, it got a whole lot louder just two minutes later after Newcastle made the most of a free-kick out on the right. Most of the Brighton players were focused on the far post, but Fraser whipped the ball into the near post where Schar made the run. Sanchez managed to get a hand to Schar's powerful header, but the Spain international was unable to keep it out.

After such an unremarkable start, bizarrely, Newcastle were 2-0 up after just 14 minutes. It was the earliest the Magpies had scored twice in a Premier League home game since January, 2007.

It was far from game over, however, and Brighton soon rallied before the half-hour mark. Tariq Lamptey got to the ball before Shelvey to seize on Joelinton's casual pass and the right-back surged forward before threading a ball through for Danny Welbeck. Dubravka smelt the danger and rushed off his line to narrow the angle for Welbeck and used his head to block the striker's effort.

Newcastle got to half-time with a two-goal lead intact, but Brighton continued to carry a threat and the Seagulls soon halved the deficit in the 55th minute when the unmarked Lewis Dunk got his head on the end of Pascal Gross' corner. The Brighton captain did not even celebrate as the visitors took the ball back to the centre circle so that the game could restart quickly.

The momentum was with Brighton and not even the introduction of Allan Saint-Maximin and Bruno Guimaraes from the bench could necessarily halt it as the Seagulls pushed for an equaliser. Dunk had Dubravka scrambling with a looping header in the 70th minute before the Newcastle 'keeper denied Leandro Trossard late on with an important stop following substitute Solly March's pullback.

Newcastle may have crumbled not so long ago but, tellingly, the Magpies hung on this time. It seemed fitting that Primal Scream hit 'Movin' on Up' played over the public address system at full-time once more.

We want to hear your thoughts, so LOG IN and leave your comment below.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.