Newcastle United haven’t had the best start to their Premier League campaign, though they are starting to pick up form.
The Magpies won just one of their first six Premier League games, thanks to last-minute defeats to Liverpool and Arsenal on home turf, whilst three consecutive 0-0 draws away from home set the tone.
However, after Newcastle beat Nottingham Forest 2-0 prior to the international break, they now have a chance to record their first consecutive wins of the season as they take on Brighton and Hove Albion at the AMEX Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Yet Eddie Howe will be somewhat fretting over their trip down to the south coast after an announcement from the Premier League on Monday afternoon.
Craig Pawson being appointed as referee for Newcastle vs Brighton won’t please Eddie Howe one bit
Towards the end of last season, Newcastle travelled down to Brighton in what was a huge game for their Champions League ambitions.
Having started the game week in third, they went 1-0 down to the Seagulls thanks to a strike from former star Yankuba Minteh. But they should have been given a reprieve just minutes into the second half, when already-cautioned star Mats Wieffer was given the benefit of the doubt for a challenge on Sandro Tonali.
The Dutchman was fortunate to get away with not being sent off, and with Newcastle already having two penalties overturned by VAR that game, Howe almost left the tie against Fabian Hurzeler’s men in despair.
Fortunately for the Tyneside club, they were finally awarded a penalty in the dying embers of the game, which Alexander Isak duly converted to keep them in the European hunt.
However, Pawson has been appointed once more for their trip to Brighton at the weekend, and Howe knows his side can’t afford to be let down by the officials in a game that could see them climb into the top half after a poor start to the campaign.
Newcastle’s visits to Brighton have long been entertaining for fans
It wasn’t just Newcastle that felt Pawson got the decision wrong.
Former Premier League referee, Dermot Gallagher, told Sky Sports’ Ref Watch after the game that Wieffer was lucky not to be sent off.
The 68-year-old said: “I think he [Wieffer] is lucky not to be sent off. The manager has dragged him off [straight after the challenge on Tonali] and that speaks volumes.”
Newcastle’s trips to West Sussex are typically action-packed, if not heart-racing for supporters. Not long ago in 2017, Senegalese midfielder Mohamed Diame scored a freak goal at Brighton to essentially hand the Magpies the Championship title.
Howe will be hoping that luck is on his side this time around, instead of injustice.
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