Brighton flies past Newcastle as teenager Evan Ferguson bags hat trick

Roberto De Zerbi with some absolutely huge praise for 18-year-old hat trick hero Evan Ferguson, via The Argus:

“About Evan Ferguson I am very delighted today but not for the goals. The goals, we can be happy now because we won. But I am really pleased for the performance.
In the first half he played very well, he found the right positions between the lines.

“Sometimes he received the ball from JP van Hecke or Lewis Dunk or Bill Gilmour. Newcastle defended 4-4-1-1 and there is the open space to receive the ball for the striker. He understood very well that position.

“I have in my head a lot of times – JP van Hecke, Ferguson - and his improvement is important for him, for us, for his career. He is working to complete his qualities. Not only score.

“He can become big, big, big. His qualities are enough to become a great player. How big? One of the best scorers in Europe. He is 18. I don’t how many players as young as Evan score these goals in their career.”

Here are Eddie Howe’s take on the Magpies’ third-straight loss in Premier League play (from The Newcastle Chronicle):

“I am very realistic. Of course, there are concerns when you are not winning and have lost three in a row. I am not naive to that. You have factors and reasons, the fixture list was very tough for us. My job is to be calm and analyze where we can better then go to work on where we can get better.”

“Tough result for us. Could have been very different and in the early stages of the game we had some good chances. We didn’t take them and the goals we conceded especially the first were tough.”

If you were an 18-year-old who became just the fifth player to score a Premier League hat trick as a teenager, the low bar for your enthusiasm should be here.

Cheers to Evan Ferguson for keeping it calm.

The numbers speak for themselves.

Brighton vs Newcastle player ratings (fotmob)

A forgettable day for Newcastle as Brighton reminds the Premier League not to forget their style.

The Seagulls have won for the third time in four matches and been the better side in all four. This was the best side they’ve faced yet — with apologies to West Ham — and Roberto De Zerbi’s flat-out splattered the Champions League-bound Magpies.

Luton, Wolves, West Ham, and now Newcastle. Who would bet against them even away to Manchester United in Week 5?

Food for thought for Howe, as Callum Wilson has not quit and the Magpies are on the board.

Sean Longstaff boots a hopeful long ball behind the Seagulls back line and Wilson is at full sprint.

He wins it, beats his man, and then Bart Verbruggen to ruin the young Dutch keeper’s clean sheet.

3-1 to Brighton.

It takes a wicked turn off Fabian Schar but it should still be a hat trick for the 18-year-old (not 19 til October).

Evan Ferguson’s feasting on the spoils of a predictable if not very poor midfield display from Newcastle, who was already down when Tonali and Joelinton were lifted for Longstaff and Anderson. It has not worked.

Now Isak and Targett come off for Harvey Barnes and Jamaal Lascelles.

Not a way to finish the international break for Newcastle. Sparking bounce back from Brighton.

What in the world is Newcastle doing?

Evan Ferguson gets the ball 15 yards outside the 18 on an entry from the back line.

The Magpies are set up and Dan Burn backs off but no midfielder is in sight. Ferguson figures why not and smashes home from 24 yards.

So easy. 2-0, Brighton.

Nothing’s changed except a bit more possession for Newcastle, so Eddie Howe is ringing in three subs.

It will be Callum Wilson joining Alexander Isak up top, as Joelinton, Sandro Tonali, and Miguel Almiron exit.

Also coming into the fray are Sean Longstaff and Elliot Anderson. No Harvey Barnes, for now.

Newcastle has a lot of work to do to seize control of this game. At this point, you feel the club would take a point.

It’s not total control for the hosts, but it’s superiority to be sure.

The Seagulls have more than 60 percent of the ball and have taken 12 shots to Newcastle’s four. The xG line is 1.24-0.51.

Actually, you could make the argument that apart from the first four minutes it is total control for Brighton.

We mentioned before kickoff that Roberto De Zerbi reacted in a big way to a 3-1 loss that saw his side dominant but finish-free, and that Eddie Howe did very little different after the loss to Liverpool.

It’s a one-goal game, but De Zerbi’s winning this battle at home and Howe’s going to have to find a fix for his team. Anthony Gordon has taken another yellow card and could play into any change in plans.

Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak together, anyone? Harvey Barnes for Gordon in a straight swap?Or will Newcastle find a leveler and swing the first half momentum back to the visitors’ side?

Let’s see.

Nick Pope’s relative struggles continue and this one’s led to a goal.

The ex-Burnley keeper has a horrible clearance right to Brighton. He makes a first intervention of sorts on a shot-cross, but then can’t handle Billy Gilmour’s hard rip to his chest.

The rebound is not going to be a problem for Evan Ferguson, and it’s 1-0 to the Seagulls.

The Magpies and Seagulls are playing wide-open football. We’re just missing goals!

Solly March has sent an arrow just wide of the top corner while both teams have had multiple pretty passing sequences.

The goals, or at least sizzling chances, are inevitable at the Amex Stadium.

Newcastle has twice threatened the Brighton 18 in the first 200 seconds of this match!

First it’s a sliding block from Brighton to deny Alexander Isak near the six-yard-box, and then Isak gets a Sandro Tonali feed and just misses the near post from 20 yards.

It’s challenging to predict what will happen here given two wide-open teams coming off anger-inducing results last weekend.

Brighton dominated West Ham but lost 3-1 and that’s probably why there are two strikers in Joao Pedro and Evan Ferguson atop Roberto De Zerbi’s attack.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe, always very loyal, keeps things the same and figures the edge is bound to return to a side that just couldn’t beat Alisson (and 10-man Liverpool) a second time.

Roberto De Zerbi not happy from last week, and it shows.

Joao Pedro and Evan Ferguson start together, and Joel Veltman moves into the fold for Adam Webster.

Dan Burn slides into center back against his old team as Sven Botman misses out through injury.

Matt Targett slides into left back. Harvey Barnes and Callum Wilson remain on the bench.

The Magpies injury list has grown to include Sven Botman, a fixture of the team’s strong back line.

Emil Krafth and Joe Willock remain out, while Javi Manguillo, Joelinton, and new signing Lewis Hall all await readiness checks.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe has exclusively used Callum Wilson and Harvey Barnes off the bench to start the season and the duo boast the team’s best combined xG+xA/90 numbers. Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordon are next, while Miguel Almiron has the most minutes of the bunch but is yet to score nor assist. Let’s see if the famously loyal Howe makes a move.

Brighton is still waiting on the return of Jakub Moder but a fresh injury to Julio Enciso really stings as the teenage Paraguayan looked so bright early this season.

The Seagulls have three players with three goal contributions through three games: fullback Pervis Estupinan, winger Kaoru Mitoma, and playmaker Solly March.

That last name, oddly enough, has yet to register an assist after piling up seven to go with his seven goals last season. March has become one of the most overlooked stars in the Premier League.