Right, we have a match report for you now, from Louise Taylor at SJP. So I’ll leave you to read that. Thanks for following and all your U2 puns. Newcastle ended up running to stand still while Brighton could celebrate Danny Welbeck’s unforgettable firepower, which has them dreaming of Wembley. Have a good evening all.
Fabian Hurzeler adds to the Welbeck praise by intimating that his compatriot Thomas Tuchel might want to consider him foro international duty againi. Asked about the striker’s quality, Brighton’s manager says: “You have a good coach in Thomas Tuchel so he will make the decision …” He also identifies “togetherness” as key to his side’s success. “I think we controlled the game and dominated – there were moments we had to suffer and had setbacks, but in the end it was all about emotions and pushing yourself.” He praises Welbeck as a “great leader, great role model and great player. He changed the dynamic of the game with his quality”.
Some more Welbeck love, from Kari Tulinius: “I think that if Welbeck had retired last summer he would be fondly remembered by supporters of the clubs he’s represented. But this autumnal season has really bathed him in golden light. I kinda want Brighton to win the cup now, just so there can be a Welbeck final.”
Couldn’t agree more – he’s one of the great slightly unheralded English strikers of his generation. Both his former clubs could do with someone like him now.
Brighton’s women are involved in a decent game too, currently 2-2 against Chelsea. More here:
Danny Welbeck speaks: “It’s a magnificent moment, great to get the winning goal, it was a solid team performance – there was a lot going on in that game, a lot of ups and downs. We stuck together and I’m so proud of the lads – everyone’s buzzing. Newcastle are a really intense side with great players and are very dangerous but we stuck to our guns and put in a great shift. I’m feeling very good, fit, strong, and glad to be back after a little injury – thanks to my mum and dad for giving me the good genes.” He cautions against talking of Cup finals and the like, pointing out that Brighton have got too far ahead of themselves in the past, and will “just focus on the next game”.
Newcastle’s fans flood out of St James’ Park. Brighton’s remain, dancing exultantly in the gods at the Leazes End. They just about shaded that, looking the neater, less error-prone side, having been so close to going out after Schar’s marginal offside in injury time of the 90. But the evergreen Danny Welbeck then proved his worth with a gorgeous chip for the winner. This is an excellent, admirable team.
Full-time: Newcastle 1-2 Brighton (aet)
Brighton have a fifth win in a row and a place in the quarter-finals! Not to mention a real sight of silverware now.
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120+2 mins: AMurphy gets down the right, curls in a cross but Verbruggen is alive to it first and gathers well. That should be enough.
120+1 mins: Willock cuts inside and curls one in from the left past the keeper’s left-hand post.
120 mins: Two extra minutes to play
119 mins: Murphy is struggling now, clutching his back. Newcastle attack again through Bruno on the right but his scooped cross is overhit, Brighton clear and win a free-kick conceded by Tonali I think.
117 mins: It’ll be all Newcastle now and they win a corner as Dan Burn’s cross is nodded behind. The corner is punched clear but worked back out by Tonali to Burn in space on the left, whose fierce angled shot is just wide.
A lovely break from Brighton, March nudges Welbeck through and he stretches to execute the most exquisite chip over Dubravka almost as the ball is going away from him. What an asset he continues to be.
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Goal! Newcastle 1-2 Brighton (Welbeck 114)
Welbeck strikes again!
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112 mins: Brighton win a free-kick on the left. From it, Gomez’s floated ball in is cleared and Newcastle break down the left through Willock who pulls it back for Tonali who spurns a chance to shoot but they come again. Tonali, again, then fires in a low cross from the light that spanks keeper then Willock in the face.
111 mins: March wriggles towards the byline on the right expertly, but his ball across the face of the area finds no one.
109 mins: … and from it another blocking frenzy from Brighton before Targett skims a low shot straight at the keeper.
108 mins: Guimareas and Tonali – perhaps Newcastle’s two leading players on the pitch now – combine to win a throw in an attacking position before Murphy overhits a cross. Newcastle come again and Tonali tries his luck from 25 yards but Webster blocks instinctively. Then Willock wins a corner …
106 mins: Newcastle get us back under way. Tiredness oozing from plenty of pores now.
Half-time in extra time: Newcastle 1-1 Brighton
On we slog. The pace has dipped, the intrigue hasn’t and it’s still pretty hard to call a winner. Brighton perhaps a tad sharper.
105 mins: As I type that a half-chance falls for Joao Pedro inside the box but his firm shot is locked. One extra minute this half.
104 mins: A decent cross is curled in from the left for Wilson but it just eludes him. Brighton’s Joao Pedro is hobbling – could it be 10 v 9?
102 mins: Van Hecke absolutely banjoes Murphy with a tumbling rugby tackle. And is not booked, prompting “You’re not fit to referee chants” from the assembled
101 mins: Brighton on top at the moment with Newcastle coughing up possession too readily and Welbeck and Gomez in particular looking to get things going for Brighton.
99 mins: Chances for Brighton! Welbeck seizes on Livramento’s slip and lays it back to Gomez whose low shot is brilliantly saved by Dubravka. From a second one, a corner is earned, which ends up being squandered as Hinshelwood blooters over.
96 mins: A long spell of Brighton possession ends with Welbeck attempting to juggle his way through just inside the area, skilfully, but it doesn’t fall for him and is crowded out.
94 mins: Willock crosses from the left for Guimareas, who chests it intelligently into the path of Tonali but Verbruggen just manages to gather it first. Newcastle have begun extra time well here.
93 mins: Newcastle build nicely through Willock and Murphy but Verbruggen comes out assertively to gather his cross well
92 mins: Evidence of tiredness already, as Guimareas tries to break through the middle and is tugged back clumsily by Gomez, who is booked.
Peep!
Brighton get us going again.
More U2 puns: “It’s alright, it’s alright, it’s alright, Schär moves in mysterious ways!” (Peter Oh) and “With Gordon sent off, have Newcastle’s U2 lost their Edge?” They were certainly Far Away so Close in injury time there
Elsewhere, the circus is soon to roll on at Old Trafford. Join Daniel Harris for Manchester United v Fulham:
Full-time: Newcastle 1-1 Brighton – extra-time to be played
So we’ve got another half-hour. It’s not quite a classic but still decently entertaining, and hard to call. Brighton were better in the second half than the first and Newcastle a tad more sloppy, but growing progressively more threatening at the same time. Back imminently.
90+7 mins: Murphy plays a neat diagonal inside for Guimaraes but it’s just a fraction overhit
90+6 mins: Gruda forages into the box but tries to be a bit too elaborate when he could have shot. Newcastle break but Tonali is hacked down crudely.
Ooh that was so close. What an absolute ding-dong of emotions this past 10 minutes have been. Hard to work out who’s more upbeat now
Goal overruled! Newcastle 1-1 Brighton (Schar 90+3)
Schar volleys in the free-kick – a fierce brilliant finish into the corner, but is he onside? Absolute anguish for the home fans, and computer says no. Semi-automated offside says he was just off.
Updated
Sending off! Lamptey gets a second yellow
The full-back goes through Murphy after going to ground, it’s a second booking. We’re at 10 v 10
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90 mins: There’s a break in play for drinks, conflabs and treatment for Mitoma, who limps gingerly off. Solly March replaces him.
We’ll have six added minutes.
89 mins: Another shot-blocking frenzy ends with Lamptey curving one over.
Updated
87 mins: Van Hecke’s getting pelters from the crowd every time he touches the ball now, as Brighton build down the left and win a corner. From it, Hinshelwood and Mitoma both have fierce shots blocked. Do Newcastle play for pens from here, knackering themselves in the process?
85 mins: And now Isak has an issue, forcing his substitution. On comes Callum Wilson. Some wheels are loosening on Newcastle’s wagon here.
It all seemed to stem from a tussle on the inside left between Gordon and Van Hecke, culminating in Gordon cuffing his opponent on the back of the head. It means Gordon misses the League Cup final, pending any appeal
Red card! Gordon sent off
Newcastle down to 10
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82 mins: Gordon has a shout for a penalty after a possible shirt tug from Gruda. Referee Taylor signals for a VAR check, but in truth it has a six/one, half-dozen/the other vibe. “Mutual holding,” as it’s apparently officially called.
80 mins: Rutter and Estupinan off, Welbeck and Wieffer on for Brighton. Welbeck got the winner here earlier in the season. Could he be the man for extra time?
78 mins: Brighton subs: Gordon slips, Gruda capitalises, plays in Gomez whose shot is blocked, but Brighton come again and the ball spits out to Gruda 20 yards out. His shot is way over too.
75 mins: Gomez gets a sight of goal from 25 yards and, unusually for Brighton, opts to shoot from distance. He opts badly – it’s way over.
74 mins: Joao Pedro wins a corner with smart trickery down the right that’s well thwarted by the tenacious Tonali. Brighton again with a gorgeous sliderule pass down the inside left from Estupinan that Mitoma can only screw across the face of goal
72 mins: Isak initiates another Newcastle move with tricky footwork to play in Livramento, this time switched to the right, and is fouled by Hinshelwood. Gordon’s free-kick is headed clear but Newcastle come again only for Murphy to overplay his lay off down the left for Isak in a very dangerous position.
69 mins: Brighton subs: Minteh and Baluba off, Gruda and Gomez on
Newcastle sub: Targett on, Trippier off
66 mins: Guimaraes, who’s looked lively since coming on, plays in Isak inside the area on the right and Hinshelwood blocks bravely to concede a corner. It ends with Livramento hanging a delicious cross in from the left that Willock can’t reach.
Updated
64 mins: Brighton break again through Lamptey down the right but a superb covering tackle from Tonali helps Newcastle build again. Back come Brighton but Newcastle do a good job blocking shots from Baleba and, I think, Estupinan; the move ends when Hinshelwood’s header is gathered by Dubravka. End to end at the moment.
62 mins: Newcastle win another corner on the right – from its second phase Gordon swings in a dangerous cross that Verbruggen has to punch clear. The Toon livening up a bit now.
61 mins: Better from Newcastle, a slick elegant ball down the inside right from Isak plays in Guimaraes whose ball across the area is blootered out for a corner. But it comes to nowt and Brighton break through Mitoma but Newcastle get back to clear the danger.
Updated
59 mins: Newcastle give it away in a danger area again and Hinshelwood seizes on it, feeding Mitoma whose shot is blocked, but Brighton on top at the moment. Newcastle break through Gordon on the left but Verbruggen saves.
56 mins: Newcastle subs: Willock, Guimaraes and Murphy on for Joelinton, Barnes and Miley
55 mins: Brighton chance! A mistake from Livramento lets Joao Pedro in, he skips a challenge but his shot is pushed away; it’s played in from the right again and falls to Mitoma in a bit of space, but he miscues horribly and it skims out for a throw. Mitoma not quite at his best today.
Updated
52 mins: Brighton win a free-kick midway into Newcastle’s half, which is headed away but Brighton come again through Mitoma, his ball is headed back across the area but Estupinan can’t get a shot in but they’re getting closer to Newcastle’s goal now.
50 mins: Lovely from Livramento down the left in tight spaces, skipping challenges deftly and giving and going with Joelinton before just running it out of play. Bright start from Newcastle in this half.
47 mins: Lamptey wins a duel with Gordon this time, tackling him cleanly this time in a dangerous position on the inside left. Minteh and Livramento are also a bit groggy after a collision, and the referee Taylor seeks some VAR guidance on the Lamptey -Gordon challenge. Nowt untoward is deemed to have happened
Updated
46 mins: Miley plays in Isak who skips a challenge and hangs a cross over to the far post that just eludes Gordon.
Peep!
Newcastle resume things, attacking the Gallowgate
And out come the players again …
Half-time browsing: join Emillia’s WSL livelog:
More U2 riffing, from Duncan Edwards. “As you probably know, the B side of “A Day Without Me” is U2 sans Bono.” I didn’t as it goes, despite being much more of a fan of their earlier “standing moodily outside castles” period than their more messianic bombastic later selves.
And Justin Kavanagh adds: “If Newcastle resemble U2 with or without you know who, then Brighton must be the Blue Man Group, as they seem to stay in tune no matter who the on-stager personnel are. As for Isak, would he be better off playing for a bigger act? Maybe he still hasn’t found what he’s looking for?”
Or the Sugababes? They were certainly going Round Round without much penetration until they scored. A few more Overloads needed perhaps
Updated
Half-time: Newcastle 1-1 Brighton
Newcastle were calmly in control of this tie and I was just about to type that Fabian Hurzeler had some thinking to do at half-time when a slice of the lovely interplay for which Brighton are known brought them level, Minteh atoning for conceding a penalty by stroking a neat one-on-one past the keeper. All sets up a fascinating second half. Back in a bit.
45+1 mins: An agricultural shellacking by Baleba gets a swift yellow, a crude challenge of which Ally McCoist seems inordinately approving on comms.
45 mins: Two extra minutes signalled.
44 mins: From nowhere, Brighton breach Newcastle’s backline with a delicious one-two between Joao Pedro and Minteh, who gets in behind and strokes the ball deftly to Dubravka’s left and the visitors are level! Game on.
Goal! Newcastle 1-1 Brighton (Minteh 44)
Brighton score with their first shot on target
Updated
41 mins: Joelinton feeds Gordon who feeds Livramento, who thinks he should have a corner when his low ball in appears to deflect off a Brighton shin. The ref thinks otherwise.
39 mins: Newcastle have Brighton comfortably at arms length at the moment, soaking up visiting possession in a 4-5-1 block before breaking away through Gordon but Estipunan foils it with a decent tackle.
Updated
36 mins: Semi-automated offside technology has just told us what a human man’s eye also told us, that Isak was offside back then.
35 mins: This game is suiting Newcastle’s traditional strengths under Howe, sharp on the counter and solid in defence, more than they have been in recent weeks. Another Isak break results in another Brighton booking, as Webster clatters him.
Newcastle goal disallowed
32 mins: BWhat a goal this almost was. Isak goes just a fraction too early on the inside right to receive a neat pass and absolutely traction-engines past Verbruggen into the roof of the net but the flag is up instantly. What a strike he has on him.
31 mins: Lamptey combines with Minteh down the right to win a corner after a good break initially on the left from Joao Pedro and Mitoma. But the corner is headed harmlessly over by a stretching Webster. Brighton are struggling to do much with their pretty passing patterns in danger areas..
29 mins: Booking for Brighton: Lamptey is having an engrossing old battle down his right with Gordon, who dispossesses the Brighton right-back and is brought down crudely by him. Lamptey is first in the book.
27 mins: Joelinton volleys a sumptuous ball out left to Watson who forays inside and curves a shot in but Verbruggen dives to save comfortably.
26 mins: Brighton win a corner when Joao Pedro’s cross deflects behind off Burn, but Newcastle are defending well and in numbers and all the visitors can muster is a speculative lobbed shot from Joao Pedro that dobs comfortably into Dubravka’s arms.
24 mins: Brighton have probably had more of the ball thus far but Newcastle the clearer chances, and they nearly have another as Isak tries to play Barnes through on the inside right channel but it’s well intercepted.
The penalty had its origins in some nice interplay between Gordon, Joelinton and Livramento on the left and when the latter foraged into the box, Minteh went in the wrong side. A fairly obvious penalty.
Goal! Newcastle 1-0 Brighton (Isak 22 pen)
He doesn’t miss those – belting it into the top left-hand corner, Bono strikes.
Updated
Penalty to Newcastle!
20 mins: Minteh fouls Livramento needlessly on the left, the ref points to the spot.
Updated
18 mins: Brighton win an attacking throw after harrying Dubravka into a clearance out, but Newcastle’s back line holds its shape and the visitors can’t find a way through and are pressed all the way back. It’s a bit cagey at present
16 mins: Brighton gain possession again after a mistake gives Mitoma a chance, he knocks it back to, I think, Baleba whose shot is well closed down. Newcastle break swiftly but Isak’s low shot is straight at Verbruggen.
15 mins: Brighton knock it around smartly around halfway but Newcastle press them well and keep them well clear of the danger area, until a longer ball finds Rutter but his attempt to dink Joao Pedro through is overhit sloppily
11 mins: Newcastle building nicely down the left, and another neat combination between Livramento and Gordon is foiled by an offside flag against the latter.
Updated
8 mins: Newcastle win a corner after a wild back pass from Webster sails out. Trippier’s delivery is headed clear and Brighton break on the right through Estupinan, Rutter and Lamptey but the ball in is a fraction overhit. Nice end to end flow thus far.
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7 mins: “Joao Pedro plays a nice give and go with Baleba and falls awkwardly as he’s successfully tackled just inside the box by Trippier, who’s also smarting a little from the collision.
5 mins: “Newcastle without Isak are a bit like U2 without Bono,” says Sam Matterface on comms. That actually sounds quite an appealing prospect. Anyway, Tonali is fouled and wins a free-kick just inside Brighton’s half but the lump into the box is in vain as Burn clatters Van Hecke and concedes a free-kick.
3 mins: Newcastle chance! Barnes leads a foray through the centre, then gets it back from Gordon and sends in a teasing cross to the back post for Isak, whose header is pushed back out to him but he blasts over.
Updated
1 min: Brighton start breezily, with Mitoma initiating an attack down the left but the ball in from Hinshelwood is easily repelled.
Peep!
Brighton get us going, attacking towards the Gallowgate End
The teams enter the field on “cathedral on the hill” (please don’t leave it, Newcastle, we need our great urban central football grounds).
Some pre-match chat from the gaffers:
Eddie Howe tells ITV the tie is “an opportunity for those players coming in. We’ve got a good squad and I try to use it and pick a team that’s really strong. I like the look of the team pre-game, and it’s a big opportunity for those coming in.” Of Isak, he adds: “He’s in. He’s fully fit, he’s recovered, and we’re delighted he’s back. He’s been a pivotal figure for us, he’s led the line really well and scored a number of goals. We’re delighted he’s ready for the game.” Though the Newcastle manager cautions that his side must defend better than they have in recent games.
Fabian Hurzeler says: “When less top clubs are in the tournament, the chance is bigger. On the other side, we all know that the cups, they always have their own laws, their own rules, so you don’t know what will come next. This Cup tournament already proved it this season so far. There’s been a lot of crazy results.”
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“Hi Tom.” Hi Paul O’Neill. “Given that the Magpies are playing the Seagulls, I wondered whether the reference to ‘the clubs’ pecking order’ in the preamble was a deliberate pun.” Heh, I truly don’t know my own strength. “And - this might be beyond your remit, to be fair - whether the whole notion of the pecking order applies to all types of bird, or just chickens.”
Good question. How do actual pecking orders work? One of those oft-unanswered questions, like what actually happens “after the Lord Mayor’s Show”, or “Is Dr Hook a medical doctor?”
On other channels … Emillia Hawkins is on top of today’s Women’s Super League action, with Manchester United zipping into a two-goal lead against Leicester. Dip in here:
“I completely agree with you that this season’s FA Cup is wide open,” writes Rick Harris, jinxing us towards another Manchester derby final. “Manchester City made hard work of getting past Plymouth yesterday and may have their typical luck of the draw again and get Preston at home, but I wouldn’t see them as favourites as Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and even Manchester United would fancy their chances against the PL champions. Eddie Howe is clearly taking this game very seriously with his team selection and Brighton too have to see this competition as there for the taking.”
Yup, am excited by both those lineups.
Team news
They line up thusly, and Isak plays in a strong-looking home starting XI:
Newcastle: Dubravka; Livramento, Schär, Burn, Trippier, Miley, Tonali, Joelinton, Barnes, Isak, Gordon. Subs: Pope, Wilson, Targett, Krafth, Osula, Murphy, Willock, Longstaff, Guimaraes.
Brighton: Verbruggen, Lamptey, van Hecke, Webster, Estupiñán, Baleba, Hinshelwood, Minteh, Rutter, Mitoma, João Pedro. Subs: Thomas McGill, March, Gruda, Adingra, Cashin, Gomez, Ayari, Wieffer, Welbeck.
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire)
Preamble
Afternoon everyone. And welcome to MBM coverage from the sixth of the eight FA Cup ties sprawled over a long weekend. As I argued when talking about Bournemouth the other day, there has rarely been such an opportunity for one of the Premier League’s mid-ranking and not-quite-elite clubs to claim the Cup this season. Though whether Newcastle are ready to seize it is moot. Eddie Howe’s side have a League Cup final looming in a fortnight against a Liverpool side that schooled them in midweek, and the Toon’s FA Cup record in the 70 years since they last won it has not been a thing of glory. They need to be careful with injuries too and Alexander Isak, a Premier League player of the season contender, may not be risked today having sat out the trip to Anfield with groin knack. We’ll find out shortly.
Brighton, by contrast, have a presentable recent record in the Cup, beaten semi-finallists twice in the past six years and enjoying an upturn in form that has them eyeing both the League and the Cup route to a Europa League place next term. They should be contemplating, in the words of the song, going up to win the Cup for Sussex by the sea.
Wherever this tie figures in the clubs’ pecking order, both in their different ways have shown themselves capable of engrossing football in recent weeks so have it in them to lay on a proper Cup tie this afternoon. Let’s have it.
Kick-off: 1.45pm GMT.
