Only one Premier League fixture this midweek, Newcastle United hosting Brighton & Hove Albion, and that is a refreshing change of pace, given the extreme fixture congestion that has defined the 2022-23 season. This has been especially true during the 2/3 of the season that comes/came after the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Tomorrow night’s league clash is overflowing with European football qualification ramifications.
Newcastle United vs Brighton & Hove Albion FYIs
Kickoff: Thursday, May 18, 7:30pm, St. James Park
Google Result Probability: Newcastle 47% Draw 25% Brighton 28%
Premier League Form, Standing: Newcastle 3rd, 66 pts DLWWW Brighton 6th 58 pts WLWWL
Transatlantic Passage: How the Premier League Redefined Soccer in America: LINK
Race for Top Four/UCL and UEL
3rd. Newcastle United 66 points, 35 matches played, +32 goal differential
Matches Remaining: Brighton on Thursday, May 22 vs Leicester, @ Chelsea May 28
4th Manchester United 66 points, 35 matches played, +10 goal differential
Matches Remaining: @ Bournemouth May 20, vs Chelsea May 25
5th Liverpool FC: 65 points, 36 matches played, +28 goal differential
Matches Remaining: vs Aston Villa May 20, at Southampton May 28
6th Brighton: 58 points, 34 matches played, +21 goal differential
Matches Remaining: this one against Newcastle, at Southampton May 21, at Man City May 24, at Aston Villa May 28
Team News for Both Sides
Let’s start with the Geordies, where Ryan Fraser, Matt Ritchie, Jamaal Lascelles, and Emil Krafth are all sidelined. There is better news though with Sean Longstaff, who could be in contention to feature here.
Switching over to the Seagulls, they have a long injury absentee list, and it includes the following: Adam Lallana, Jakub Moder, Adam Webster, Jeremy Sarmiento, Tariq Lamptey and Solly March. Meanwhile Joel Veltman and Julio Enciso could be in contention to feature.
Paul M. Banks is the owner/manager of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He’s written for numerous publications, including the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. He regularly appears on NTD News and WGN News Now. Follow the website on Twitter and Instagram.