Albion Analytics: How we beat Newcastle

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The numbers behind our win at St James' Park.

Liam Tharme

Albion Analytics

2024-10-22T10:15+01:00

Ferdi Kadioglu has now made four appearances for Albion in all competitions. 📷 by James Boardman.

Albion made it six wins from ten games in all competitions with a 1-0 victory away to Newcastle United.

The result was significant. Albion became only the second team, after Manchester City, to win at St James’ Park in 2024 (14 Newcastle home games in all competitions), and in keeping a clean sheet became the first visiting team to shutout Newcastle in 19 games — since Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League in October 2023.

No wonder head coach Fabian Hurzeler was full of praise for a “defensively impressive” performance. It was Brighton’s third victory of the season with a minority share of possession, something they only managed once in 202324.

04 Fabian Hurzeler gestures from the technical area

“We had a bit of luck,” said Hurzeler, who added that, “In the end, for me it is important that we defended together. Against the ball it was a really good performance. That shows in the numbers."

Brighton’s 36 clearances were their most in a Premier League game for almost four years, when they made 46 in a 2-1 away win over Aston Villa in November 2020. Similarly, Brighton attempted 26 tackles at St James’ Park, an amount they have only bettered once this calendar year (28 in the 2-1 defeat to Liverpool in March).

Bart Verbruggen made six saves in what SofaScore measured as his best performance in a Brighton shirt. There have only been eight instances of a Brighton goalkeeper making six-plus saves in a Premier League game since the start of 2021-22, and two are Verbruggen away to Newcastle — including seven saves from eight shots faced in this fixture in May.

Bart Verbruggen has kept two cleansheets in the Premier League so far this campaign. 📷 by James Boardman.

It is Verbruggen’s tenth clean sheet in 34 games, in which time he has conceded 42 goals (1.23/game). Bart and Jason Steele rank in the top six Premier League goalkeepers for pass completion this season, evidence of their ability to playmake as well as shot-stop.

Danny Welbeck made it a century of Premier League goal involvements (72 goals, 28 assists) with the winner on Tyneside. His fifth goal of the season means he has matched his tally from 2023-24 in 21 fewer appearances, 1,000 less minutes and 20 fewer shots. Welbeck is yet to hit ten-plus goals in a league season (he scored 9 in 2011-12 and 2013-14) but is on track for a personal best.

Eddie Howe’s team might have a strong home record in 2024, though Brighton have routinely performed well away to Newcastle. In fact, Brighton have more Premier League wins there (3) than defeats (2) in right league meetings, with three draws. They have kept a clean sheet five times, and in terms of points earned (12) it is Albion’s best away Premier League venue.

Danny Welbeck has scored five Premier League goals so far this campaign. 📷 by James Boardman.

A third clean sheet of the season means Albion are halfway to the total clean sheets they kept in the league in 2023-24 (6). Only Manchester United (4) and Liverpool (5) have shut opponents out more this season.

Albion are one place (5th versus 6th) better off but one point worse (15 vs 16) than this stage last season, however have been much more consistent whereas the previous campaign had a mix of fireworks (3-1 and 4-1 wins) and disasters (6-1 loss away to Aston Villa). Brighton have had three wins by one goal, the joint-most in the Premier League.

The task now will be to sustain that, especially with consistent international breaks and injuries. Brighton had a six-game winless run between matchday seven and 12 last season; in 2022-23, there were five games without a win between matchday nine and 13, and an 11-game run featuring eight draws and three defeats between matchday six and 17 in 2021-22.

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— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) December 13, 2024