Brighton & Hove Albion 1-1 Newcastle United: Magpies fight back to draw as Eddie Howe watches from the stands
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Isaac Hayden scored his first league goal for Newcastle since January 2020, a run of 43 games
Newcastle fought back to claim a draw at Brighton in the Premier League as potential new manager Eddie Howe watched on from the stands.
With Howe's appointment expected soon, he sat alongside Magpies part-owner Amanda Staveley and allowed himself a brief flicker of emotion as Isaac Hayden turned in an equaliser from Ciaran Clark's downward header.
However, for much of this contest, Newcastle's display will only have served to warn him of the scale of the challenge at a club that is still yet to win a top-flight game this season.
While the visitors deserve credit for sticking rigidly to their defensive shape, they were disjointed in possession and, bar Hayden's effort, offered little in attack.
Leandro Trossard's first-half penalty had appeared to have set Brighton on their way to a deserved victory, with the Belgian getting the benefit of a VAR intervention after tumbling over Clark's leg.
Brighton 1-1 Newcastle: It's an important point for Seagulls - Graham Potter
Despite dominating for long periods, Seagulls boss Graham Potter cut a frustrated figure as his side's winless run continued into a sixth match and prevented them from leapfrogging Manchester United in fifth.
And a dramatic conclusion almost compounded that feeling with goalkeeper Robert Sanchez sent off in stoppage time for a foul on Callum Wilson with the Newcastle forward through on goal.
With central defender Lewis Dunk taking over in goal it left the hosts having to see out an anxious final few minutes of stoppage time.
Newcastle, who have drawn three of their past four matches on their travels, sit 19th in the table, level on points with bottom club Norwich.
Big job in front of Howe?
Brighton 1-1 Newcastle: We are all together here - Jones praises 'outstanding' Magpies
Newcastle have drawn two and lost two of their four matches since the Saudi Arabian-backed takeover of the club was confirmed in October.
However, they at least appear closer to installing a new manager after Unai Emery rejected their offer.
Howe, has not managed since his second stint at Bournemouth ended in relegation in 2020, but importantly has a reputation for playing attractive football, something that will strike chord with the Newcastle fanbase.
And his first task will be to get more from Miguel Almiron, Allan Saint-Maximin and Callum Wilson, who so far this season have contributed six of the club's 12 Premier League goals between them.
None of that trio managed a single shot on target at the Amex and even if that was offset to some extent by more solidity at the other end of the pitch, Newcastle will need goals and plenty of them to get themselves out of their current predicament.
Meanwhile, Potter's side are seven points better off than at the corresponding stage of last season having addressed their own defensive issues despite the £50m sale of England defender Ben White in the summer.
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