Newcastle team news: Dunk not fit to face Magpies

Main Club Sponsor

TICKETS

SHOP

Charlie Hanson

2025-02-28T11:15+00:00

Lewis Dunk has missed our last three Premier League matches through injury. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Albion will look to secure a win on Sunday that would put them into the quarter-finals of the Emirates FA Cup, as they take on Newcastle United.

The match – which kicks off at 1.45pm – is live on ITV1.

Team news

Adam Webster and Tariq Lamptey. 📷 by Paul Hazlewood.

Lewis Dunk is not expected to return to action this weekend according to head coach Fabian Hurzeler, while he also discussed the possibility of changing his team up.

"So far there's no other change, hopefully it stays like this. Of course, we're looking forward to our skipper Lewis Dunk being back, but I think that the game on Sunday will be a little bit too early.

"I have to find the balance of the squad who will start. We have some players who came back after an injury. We have some players who didn't play so much in the Premier League. We have players like Tariq [Lamptey] and Adam [Webster], who played a lot in the past [weeks]. Because also we had a lot of injuries and they had to go for two lots of 90 minutes. We will see who will play on Sunday.

"But the most important thing is that we get the freshest team on the pitch, the most ready team on the pitch and therefore we have to make the right choice."

Fabian’s thoughts

On wanting to go far in the FA Cup, "So first of all that's my job. I always try to give everything for the club and of course I always want the club to be the most successful we can be. That's my job together with my staff and the players and therefore we try really hard. We can promise to everyone, to our supporters, that we try to give everything on the pitch and beside the pitch to make them proud.

But we can't promise to win a title. So that's the thing we really have to work on and that's the thing we try to do in our daily behaviour. Then we will see what will come in the future.

On Liverpool and Arsenal already being knocked out, "On the one side, for sure, 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.

"In one game, anything can happen. This cup tournament already proved it this season so far. There’s been a lot of crazy results. I wouldn't say that the percentage is increasing, but the chance of getting to the next round and trying to win something or have the chance to win something, of course, is always a little bit higher if the top clubs are not there."

Match facts

Newcastle have won just two of their last 15 meetings with Brighton in all competitions (D7 L6), with all of these coming in the Premier League. They’ve already lost 1-0 against them at St James’ Park this term.

Brighton have won each of their last four FA Cup games against Newcastle without conceding a single goal, with this the first meeting since a 2-0 home win in the 2012-13 third round.

Newcastle have progressed from each of their last nine FA Cup fifth round ties, since a 1-0 loss at Blackburn in 1992-93. The Magpies are looking to reach the quarter-final in consecutive campaigns for the first time since 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Brighton have reached the FA Cup fifth round in three consecutive campaigns for the very first time. They beat Stoke 1-0 in 2022-23 but lost 1-0 against Wolves at this stage last season.

Newcastle’s William Osula averages a goal or assist every 48 minutes in the FA Cup, scoring seven and assisting three across seven appearances in the competition (480 minutes).

With four goals and two assists, Brighton’s Georginio Rutter has been involved in six goals in his last three appearances in the FA Cup.

Match officials