Brighton vs Newcastle Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

This is far too early to be classed as a title decider but it is certainly one of the most eagerly awaited games of the season so far in the Championship. The winners will take another big stride towards the Premier League while the losers might just be nervously looking over their shoulders at Huddersfield in 3rd. The bookies make the Seagulls slight favourites and they are good value for that in truth.

As well as being 1st vs 2nd in the league, this match also sees the side with the best home record host the side with the best away record. Newcastle average 2.17 points per game on their travels while Brighton have managed an outstanding 2.47 per game at home. They’ve won 76% of their league matches at the Amex, including 7 of the last 8 so they approach every home game with real confidence.

Brighton haven’t just been beating the weaker teams at home and in fact their few slip-ups haven’t been against great teams. They’ve played every side in the current top six at home apart from Newcastle, and have beaten the lot. One of those wins was their comfortable 3-0 victory against Reading at the weekend, which was the perfect boost coming into this game.

Unlike Newcastle, who have been missing top scorer Dwight Gayle, they have most of their key players available. With the former Palace man looking likely to again miss out, Newcastle are a bit short on firepower up top in truth but that’s not remotely the case with Brighton. The Seagulls now have four players who have scored 10 or more Championship goals this season so they are far from dependent on one individual to be a threat. The one in the best form right now is Sam Baldock. The 27 year old has scored 4 in his last 4 games and backing Baldock to score anytime at 3/1 could be well worth a flutter here.

Newcastle haven’t put in a really convincing display for a while now and they’ll need better than what they produced in their 2-2 home draw with Bristol City at the weekend, if they are to get a result here. They’ve only won 3 of their last 7 games in all competitions and the notion that they would cruise to automatic promotion is proving false. They may be the top scorers in the league but in recent weeks Brighton have looked more threatening overall and Newcastle will have to work very hard to break down a Seagulls defence that has conceded just 0.53 goals per game at home on average.

Therefore, this game looks to have come at a better time for Brighton than Newcastle and backing Brighton 0.0 Asian Handicap at 31/40 looks to offer value.