Newcastle 4-1 Brighton: Gilmour pass puts him top of ratings
Newcastle 4-1 Brighton is probably the first time that a single pass has helped an individual to top the player ratings with Billy Gilmour the only man in the starting XI to score above a six in the Albion hammering on Tyneside.
There are two ways that you can interpret this outcome. The first is that it was a superb through ball, worthy of bestowing upon Gilmour the dubious honour of being the best Seagulls player on the park.
And to be fair to Gilmour, it was that good a pass. Had Kevin De Bruyne played it to release Erling Haaland, Sky Sports News would have it on loop for the next fortnight with the round-the-clock analysis from someone like Tim Sherwood.
The other way to look at it is that Brighton were so poor that one assist was enough to top the Newcastle 4-1 Brighton ratings. You can be the judge of that, with the scores on the doors as follows.
Jason Steele – 5.88
Made some important saves across the 90 minutes without which the defeat might have been even heavier, including a superb stop from a Miguel Almiron volley at the point blank range. Weirdly, it seemed to take the home support a good 20 minutes to realise Steele was a former Sunderland player and afford him the subsequent reception reserved in those parts for ex-Mackems.
Moises Caicedo – 4.00
Looked very shaky for the first time in his new right back role. Never managed to get to grips with Alexander Isak and then allowed Almiron to escape far too easily down the channel as Newcastle broke to score their third. Put it down to tirendess.
Jan Paul van Hecke – 4.75
The decision to rest Levi Colwill and give Van Hecke a rare Premier League start was one Roberto De Zerbi got wrong. Some decent moments overshadowed by his almost comical attempts to play an offside trap as the Saudi Sportswashers added those two late goals.
Lewis Dunk – 5.88
Tied with Steele as the second highest scoring player in the Newcastle 4-1 Brighton ratings to start the game. Not an easy evening as he attempted to shepherd through a backline including defensive rookies Caicedo and Van Hecke in the face of unrelenting Newcastle pressure, particularly in the first half.
Pervis Estupinan – 5.13
Almiron became the first winger we have seen cause so many problems that Estupinan had to focus solely on defending rather than getting forward. Considering he and Dunk are the only two players not to have been rested at some point through the gruelling last two months, perhaps he is feeling fatigued.
BILLY GILMOUR – 6.38
Neither Gilmour nor Pascal Gross were able to get a foothold in midfield during a first half dominated by Newcastle. Improved slightly in the second but as already noted, the only reason he tops the ratings is that assist for Deniz Undav. Deservedly so too; the vision to spot the run followed by the technique to perfectly weight a pass through the Toon defence was world class.
Pascal Gross – 5.00
Struggled against Joelinton in midfield to the point a rare booking was issued to Der Kaiser. Withdrawn on 68 minutes as De Zerbi sought to shake things up with Brighton trailing by one.
Facundo Buonanotte – 4.25
It always looked a big ask for an 18-year-old number 10 to come in out-of-position on the right away from home against the third best team in the Premier League. The game passed him by so much that Dan Burn was able to do as much attacking down the Newcastle left as defending.
Deniz Undav – 5.63
Undav is fast becoming a firm favourite here at WAB Towers because you never quite know what is going to happen next. A surreal evening in which he scored an own goal, gave away the free kick from which Burn added the Toon’s second, got booked and then clinically fired a one-on-one past Nick Pope.
Kaoru Mitoma – 4.75
Missed the support normally provided by the overlapping Estupinan. Came into the game more in the second half when the Albion actually managed to keep the ball but he was largely contained by the excellent Kieran Trippier.
Danny Welbeck – 4.75
Did his best to be a focal point in the first half, trying to hold the ball up and move Brighton further up the pitch to relieve the pressure on the defence.
Alexis Mac Allister – 5.13
The Albion looked better on this occasion with Mac Allister introduced as an actual number 10 rather than the hodge-podge of Welbeck and Undav switching the role between them. A few killer passes not coming off summed the Seagulls’ night up.
Julio Enciso – 6.13
Easily the most exciting Brighton player on show. Came close with a glancing header and a mazy surge. Newcastle looked worried whenever he was on the ball, which makes you wonder how different things might have been if he had started.
Evan Ferguson – 5.50
Much the same as Welbeck, really. Decent link play without ever getting a clear sight of goal. The decision to rest Ferguson will be richly vindicated if he fires the Albion to victory over Southampton on Sunday.
Odel Offiah
Took over at right back following his introduction for Gross, allowing Caicedo to move into midfield. Did well enough on what was his longest Premier League career appearance to date.
The WAB Player Ratings are formulated using marks out of 10 given by Brighton fans via Twitter. To have your scores included, follow We Are Brighton on Twitter and look out for the player rating thread after each game.
