Brighton v Newcastle: Our Sky Bet Championship preview

The game kicks off at 1945 GMT at the Amex Stadium, live on Sky Sports 1. 

Nick Hext's betting preview

1pt Brighton to draw with Newcastle at 23/10 – a point apiece doesn’t damage the promotion aspirations of either side

There’s a blockbuster clash in the Sky Bet Championship to enjoy on Tuesday night as top-of-the-table Brighton host second-placed Newcastle at the Amex Stadium, live on Sky Sports 1 HD. 

The Seagulls and Magpies have been swapping positions at the head of the standings for months and it's hard to see anything between the division’s two standout sides. 

Brighton are 31/20 favourites to pick up the three points and Newcastle are the outsiders for the first time this season in the Sky Bet Championship to win at 11/5. 

It’s tempting to throw some support the way of the Magpies but my instinct is to go with the draw at 23/10 given the state of play in the second tier of English football. 

Brighton and Newcastle are six and five points clear respectively of third-placed Huddersfield, who don’t play in the league during midweek as they have an FA Cup replay to contend with at Manchester City. 

A draw wouldn’t be a reason for either side to panic. Leeds are a further four points behind Huddersfield so realistically it’s only the Terriers who have any chance of catching the top two. 

Newcastle drew at Norwich in their last away game, a tough test as the Canaries had won their last four home matches in the league leading up to that clash, and that should have Rafael Benitez’s men in good shape for their long trip south. 

Brighton eased to a 3-0 win at home to Reading on Saturday evening but they’ve drawn two of their last five outings, against Brentford and Ipswich, and their form in the last six weeks has dropped off from their sensational final three months of 2016, when Chris Hughton’s men didn���t lose in 13 games. 

Newcastle won 2-0 in the first meeting between these sides way back in August but I don’t put too much stock in that given the extra pressure on this midweek encounter. 

Backing the draw and both teams to score at 4/1 is worthy of consideration but I’m going to stick with just the draw at 23/10. 

It’s far from impossible that these sides completely cancel each other out and don’t be shocked if Benitez adopts a more cautious approach given the continuing absence of star striker Dwight Gayle.  

Prediction: Brighton 1-1 Newcastle

David Prutton's prediction

From what I saw of Brighton against a promotion rival on Saturday, they were very, very good. Reading had a lot of the ball but Brighton were so clinical. They were decisive and really put them to the sword. Chris Hughton's side go into Tuesday's match in ridiculously good form and will be full of confidence.  Newcastle piled the pressure on Bristol City in the second half and it was an absolute onslaught. They should have won that game. It's all set to be a really close match at the Amex but I think Brighton have the edge. Their attacking players have been in the goals recently while Newcastle will be missing Dwight Gayle. You worry about Newcastle when he's not in the team. 

Prutton predicts: 2-1 (Sky Bet odds: 9/1) 

Team news

Sebastien Pocognoli is available for Brighton in their top-of-the-table clash with Newcastle. 

The Belgium left-back had to go off late on during Saturday's 3-0 win over Reading with a groin problem, but the move was precautionary. 

Brighton boss Chris Hughton could therefore opt to stick with a winning side against his former club, who are second in the Sky Bet Championship. 

Liam Rosenior is building up his fitness after a long spell out with an ankle injury and fellow defender Gaeten Bong is still out with a knee problem. 

Magpies manager Rafael Benitez will be without leading scorer Dwight Gayle once again after he suffered a setback on his return to action. 

The 20-goal striker lasted just 33 minutes against Aston Villa last Monday evening following more than a month on the sidelines and, although a scan on his hamstring has shown no new damage, he will not be risked. 

Benitez faces the task of finding the right man to take the attack to Brighton with Aleksandar Mitrovic misfiring alongside Ayoze Perez in Saturday's 2-2 draw with Bristol City, when Daryl Murphy was an unused substitute. 

The Spaniard may also think hard about his goalkeepers after Karl Darlow made another costly error at the weekend with Rob Elliot waiting in the wings, while Isaac Hayden continues his recovery from ankle surgery.   

Manager quotes

Chris Hughton (Brighton)

On Sebastien Pocognoli, to The Argus: "He's okay, but we felt that would be the case fairly quickly after the (Reading) game.

"He had a slight problem at Barnsley. In effect it was a bit more of a precaution, taking him off towards the end of the game, but Seb's fine which is good." 

On Oliver Norwood missing the last three matches: "It's his first child and we are all delighted for him. 

"That was initially (Ipswich and Barnsley) and then he was very much available for the last game (Reading), but we were on the back of a very good performance at Barnsley and my choice was not to change things." 

Rafael Benitez (Newcastle)

On link with a move to China: "I was asking where it came from.

"I didn't know. At the beginning of the season a lot of people were talking about Chinese clubs, but it was a surprise to me." 

On Brighton: "He (Chris Hughton) is doing a good job and he has a very good team.

"The team has been in the play-offs three times in the last four years so that means they have experience, and they have the players and the squad to be there." 

On Dwight Gayle: "He is still improving but not ready for this game." 

Opta facts

Brighton’s only defeat in their last seven matches against Newcastle in all competitions (W4 D2) came earlier this campaign in a 2-0 loss at St James’ Park. 

The Magpies have never scored a goal at the Amex Stadium in two previous games there, both in the FA Cup. 

The Seagulls have lost one of their last 19 home league games on a Tuesday (W14 D4), losing 1-0 to Ipswich in December 2015. 

Newcastle, meanwhile, haven’t lost an away game on a Tuesday since going down to Spurs in December 2010, winning four and drawing three since. 

Magpies striker Daryl Murphy has scored in each of his last four Championship appearances against Brighton (four goals).  

Murphy is the highest scoring Championship opposition player at the Amex (since 2011/12), netting four goals in five previous appearances. 

The Magpies are yet to win a Championship game in which they’ve conceded the first goal this season (D1 L6), while Brighton have won 18 out of 18 games in which they’ve scored first.