Newcastle United are virtually there with wins against Brighton and Chelsea | OneFootball

Brighton away next for Newcastle United and then Chelsea at St James’ Park the following Sunday.

The Amex Stadium a bit of a bogey ground for us.

The last three visits have seen a defeat and two draws.

Even at St James’ Park, Brighton have found a way to get the better of Newcastle United this season in both league and cup, plus the odd draw and win on occasion for the Seagulls on Tyneside in previous seasons.

They’re our bogey side, no doubt about it.

So on that basis we may as well just give them a bell and ask them if they’d be happy to take a draw, to save us and them both the trouble!

A draw is what I predicted in this fixture when I was asked among a few contributors on a round of questioning on matters a while back by The Mag Editor.

All things considered, a draw would be a solid enough result for United and would do very nicely, if we then beat Chelsea the following Sunday.

I’m not greedy about potentially finishing higher than 5th and any of Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City, Aston Villa and Chelsea were offered a guaranteed fifth spot to secure next season’s Champions League, they’d take it for sure.

I don’t think they’d be worrying about a few million per league place, compared to the guaranteed windfall that Champions League would bring.

Back to Sunday though and it could well be our time to win away at Brighton.

We are overdue a result there, plus circumstances are different this time around.

Newcastle United have gone to Brighton the past few years early on in the season, the Seagulls having a reputation as strong starters in the Premier League before running out of steam later on.

Brighton have not been in great form of late.

They did come from behind to beat a poor West ham side last weekend but they have dropped off since beating NUFC at St James’ Park in the FA Cup.

It’s the same Brighton side that could only manage a draw with relegated Leicester City at home, who got knocked out of the cup at home against Nottingham Forest, got battered against Aston Villa at home. It could well be a great time to play them.

Bogey grounds/teams don’t last forever.

A win on Sunday, could mean maybe only another three or four points away from being guaranteed a top five spot.

I think if Newcastle United can beat Brighton and Chelsea then we will be in a very strong position on the final day of the season playing against Everton, regardless how we get on at Arsenal.

With Nottingham Forest playing Chelsea, it means at least one of the Champions League contenders can’t take maximum points on the final day.