Brighton 3-1 Newcastle: Evan Ferguson scores his first Premier League hat-trick as the 18-year-old star fires the high-flying Seagulls to victory over Eddie Howe’s hapless Magpies
- Evan Ferguson capitalised on an error from Nick Pope to give Brighton the lead
- The teenager was on hand again to double the hosts’ advantage after interval
- Ferguson then completed his hat-trick with a effort deflected off Fabian Schar
Just as well the transfer window closed 24 hours earlier. For those top clubs left looking for goals, here they are, in the boots of a teenager who plays like a man. What price for Evan Ferguson right now?
Thankfully, for Brighton, they don’t have to think about a valuation, at least not until January. The 18-year-old had three chances and scored each of them. He was sensational. The Seagulls may have paraded Barcelona loanee Ansu Fati before kick-off, but Ferguson is the boy wonder the home fans left here talking about.
‘He could become one of the best scorers in Europe,’ said Roberto De Zerbi. ‘I don’t know many young players like him.’
Had Ferguson bagged a hat-trick seven days earlier against West Ham – yes, it would have been most welcome, Brighton lost 3-1 – but it might have also invited interest from elsewhere. Is De Zerbi relieved, then, that the window is no longer open? ‘Yes!’ returned the Italian.
Newcastle legend Alan Shearer would have been watching, and he should be less worried about Harry Kane returning one day to break his Premier League scoring record as he should Ferguson sticking around and making a bid for his tally of 260. That is 10 and counting now.
Evan Ferguson netted a hat-trick as Brighton comfortably defeated Newcastle at the Amex
The 18-year-old striker capitalised on an error from Nick Pope to give the hosts the lead
Ansu Fati watched on after joining the Seagulls on loan from Barcelona on deadline day
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The strapping teen left to a standing ovation on 81 minutes, by which time he had knocked Newcastle off their feet. And what of the losers? They ended the game in a very dark place after a bright start.
BRIGHTON VS NEWCASTLE MATCH FACTS AND RATINGS
BRIGHTON (4-2-3-1): Verbruggen 6.5; Veltman 7, Van Hecke 7, Dunk 7, Estupinan 7; Gross 7 (Adingra 89), Gilmour 8 (Dahoud 77); March 7.5 (Lallana 81), Pedro 7 (Lamptey 77), Mitoma 7.5; Ferguson 9 (Milner 81)
Subs: Steele, Webster, Igor Julio, Buonanotte
Goals: Ferguson 27′, 65′, 70′
Bookings: Lamptey, Milner, Dahoud
Coach: Roberto De Zerbi 8
NEWCASTLE (4-3-3): Pope 4; Trippier 5, Schar 4.5, Burn 4.5, Targett 5 (Lascelles 74); Tonali 5 (Longstaff 58, 6), Guimaraes 5, Joelinton 4.5 (Wilson 58, 6.5); Almiron 5 (Anderson 58, 6), Isak 5.5 (Barnes 74), Gordon 5.5
Subs: Dubravka, Murphy, Livramento, Hall
Goals: Wilson 90+2′
Bookings: Schar, Targett, Gordon
Coach: Eddie Howe 5
Eddie Howe has banned late nights for his players on the back of Jamaal Lascelles’ involvement in a 4am street brawl. Well, he needs to introduce some early mornings.
This was a third straight defeat for a team who did not lose three games until March last season. Yes, they have come against Manchester City, Liverpool and now a very good Brighton. But the opposition do not dictate your energy levels, and Newcastle ran hopelessly low on that front as the game wore on.
Howe said: ‘Of course there are concerns, I’m not naive. But I have to look at the fixture list, which has been tough for us. I need to be calm and it’s important I don’t overreact.’
If star midfielder Bruno Guimaraes wants a new contract – and he does – he has to make his pitch on the pitch, and right now he is fortunate to even be there. The Brazilian, so influential in Newcastle’s rise from the bottom of the Premier League to the Champions League, has started this season out of sorts and, seemingly, out of shape. He is moving himself nor the ball particularly convincingly.
There is a growing feeling that he and £52million summer signing Sandro Tonali cannot operate in the same midfield and Newcastle’s decision not to add a No.6 during the window was made to look short-sighted here. Their engine-room ran out of steam very quickly and they were schooled by another relative rookie, Brighton’s Billy Gilmour. But Howe’s problems extend beyond the middle of the park.
At this level, what a goalkeeper does with his feet is of equal importance to any handy work. Stop shots and start attacks is the duty. De Zerbi was furious with Bart Verbruggen when he failed to fire a ball into midfield to break Newcastle’s press early on. At least the keeper had kept possession, rolling a pass to his full-back. If only Newcastle’s Nick Pope had done that in the moments before Brighton’s opener on 27 minutes.
Ferguson was again on hand after the break to double his side’s lead with a curled effort
Ferguson netted again minutes later to complete his first-ever Premier League hat-trick
Pope’s kicking is not his strong suit. And rather than attempt to find team-mate Kieran Trippier with a Brighton forward closing in, he opted to boot downfield. He was, though, left kicking himself when his scuffed clearance landed at the feet of Pervis Estupinan. From that Pope made a subsequent save but Tonali swung a lazy leg at the loose ball and was just as sluggish in closing down Gilmour, allowing him to strike on target.
Pope made it look like the midfielder had sent a bar of soap goalwards and his fumble was slammed in by Ferguson with the cleanest of connections. For Newcastle, it was a grubby concession.
Come half-time, the visitors could point to several quality chances as reason for optimism. But, really, those openings masked a performance absent of their usual intensity and composure.
Had Alexander Isak shown more of the latter inside the first few minutes then Newcastle might have been 2-0 up but he dithered when in on goal. Maybe he was still thinking about that missed chance when Tonali drew back for him on three minutes, the Swede scuffing wide.
Result sees Newcastle having picked up just three points from their first four games this season
Substitute Callum Wilson netted a consolation in stoppage time but it was too little too late for the Magpies
Brighton had started cold on a hot day and De Zerbi ripped off his jumper as he threatened to boil over. From there, the home side found their feet and Newcastle lost their heads.
Ferguson’s second, on 65 minutes, was both an awesome finish and shocking defending. Gilmour slipped a pass to the striker, in space 25 yards out. Newcastle’s defence ran away and they had every reason to be fearful as Ferguson found the bottom corner.
His hat-trick goal six minutes later owed something to a deflection off Fabian Schar – the defender’s careless leg captured his side’s listless second-half display – but that luck was deserved in securing the first match ball of his career. Callum Wilson nicked a consolation in stoppage-time.
There will, you feel, be many more trebles for Ferguson. Brighton should enjoy him while they can.
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