Newcastle United are out of the FA Cup after being beaten 2-1 by Brighton & Hove Albion after extra-time in the fifth round.
The former Sunderland loanee Danny Welbeck scored a 114th-minute winner to send the Seagulls through and silence St James’ Park. That completed their comeback after former Newcastle player Yankuba Minteh had earlier equalised just before half-time to cancel out an Alexander Isak penalty.
Both teams went down to ten men before the additional half an hour began, with Anthony Gordon shown a straight red and Tariq Lamptey levelling up the sides after earning a second yellow card. However, the first sending-off proved costly for Newcastle and will continue to have repercussions over the rest of this month, as the national media have made clear.
‘A seriously bad day for Newcastle’
John Cross of the Mirror: “What an incredible advert for the FA Cup. But a seriously bad day for Newcastle as they crashed out, Anthony Gordon’s sending-off rules him out of the Carabao Cup final and the gruelling 120 minutes left others playing on one leg.
“It was an absolutely bonkers fifth round tie decided by a wonderful piece of quality from Brighton’s supersub Danny Welbeck, who left the pocket of away fans singing about Wembley. Brighton were terrific as their Newcastle hoodoo struck again and they have now beaten the Toon Army in their last five meetings in the FA Cup and this was their second win at St James’ Park this season.”
‘Newcastle’s hopes extinguished’
Louise Taylor, of The Guardian: “As extra time unfolded and the impressive yet ultimately cramp-ridden João Pedro ran through the pain barrier, Dubravka enhanced his chances of starting ahead of Nick Pope in the final thanks to a brilliant save from Diego Gómez. Yet even Dubravka was confounded as Brighton broke and put through by Solly March, Welbeck expertly dinked the ball over the goalkeeper. With a swipe of a boot Newcastle’s hopes of lifting their first FA Cup since 1955 were extinguished.”
‘Howe must find a way to prove they did not lose two cup ties in one game’
Martin Hardy, of The Times, writes: “Somehow, through the wreckage of a disastrous afternoon at St James’ Park, Newcastle United and their head coach Eddie Howe must find a way to prove they did not lose two cup ties in one game. They will have to rouse the spirit of Tyneside, which feels absolutely flat.
“The red card shown to Anthony Gordon for aggressively pushing Jan Paul van Hecke in the face with seven minutes of normal time remaining, felt so crushing a blow that it is difficult to see how its impact will not be felt in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool in less than two weeks’ time.”
‘Season is in serious danger of hitting the skids’
Mark Douglas of The i Paper: “Having acknowledged that they got too drawn into the emotion the last time they made Wembley for the Carabao Cup final, Newcastle United’s plan was to keep things low-key leading up to their date with Liverpool. So much for that.
“Eddie Howe has consistently denied that Wembley is the cause of his team’s maddening recent inconsistency but something about that game seems to be scrambling synapses at St James’ Park, where a season that was promising so much is in serious danger of hitting the skids. How else to explain the confounding, kamikaze nature of this defeat and the inexplicable moment Anthony Gordon saw red after seeing red?”
‘You can be sure that their wait for a domestic trophy will extend to a 71st’
Craig Hope, of the Daily Mail: “The closer Newcastle United get to Wembley, the more bad things happen. You really do wonder if there is some sort of curse with them and cup finals.”
Hope continued: “For 70 years Newcastle have been a rod for its passage to turf. After this latest bolt, you can be sure that their wait for a domestic trophy will extend to a 71st. It felt like they lost two cup ties here.
“It was not just Gordon’s red card, either. Alexander Isak limped off. So did Kieran Trippier. Lewis Hall and Sven Botman never even made it and are now doubtful for the final.”
‘They have not just wrecked one cup campaign, they may well have ruined two’
Luke Edwards, of The Telegraph: “Newcastle United crashed out of the FA Cup to Brighton and Hove Albion, but the damage done to their season could be fatal. They have not just wrecked one cup campaign, they may well have ruined two.
“The winning goal, late in extra time, from Danny Welbeck was painful for sure, but it was the red card shown to Anthony Gordon for violent conduct that will sting long after the frustration of this defeat has faded.” Edwards continued: “Newcastle will go into their most important game of the season without one of their best players. He only has himself to blame. This was no hard luck story, no injustice was done here.”
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/some-sort-curse-national-media-31115989
