Evan Ferguson stole the spotlight with an impressive hat-trick, marking the third in the Premier League on that eventful day.
Brighton & Hove Albion dominated Newcastle United, securing a resounding 3-1 victory at the Amex Stadium, and redeeming themselves after a recent loss to West Ham United.
The match also served as a showcase for their new signings, Ansu Fati and Carlos Baleba, who witnessed Ferguson’s remarkable performance as he solidified his status as a rising star on the South Coast.
Although Callum Wilson managed to salvage a consolation goal for Eddie Howe’s team in the closing moments, it was an overall forgettable day for the traveling Newcastle supporters. Their arduous 345-mile journey ended in disappointment as their team displayed a lackluster performance, suffering their third consecutive defeat.
The early stages of the game were goalless, but the match lived up to its pre-game hype as both sides aggressively pushed forward. However, Brighton emerged as the more dominant team in the final third. Within the first 10 minutes, a Solly March cross deflected off Matt Targett, temporarily unsettling Newcastle. Bart Verbruggen had to be alert to fend off a deflected Miguel Almiron strike shortly thereafter.
Brighton’s persistent pressure paid dividends in the 27th minute, with Nick Pope committing a series of blunders. A poor clearance by Pope was intercepted by Pervis Estupinan, who found Kaoru Mitoma making a clever run. Although Pope initially stopped Mitoma’s shot with his foot, the ball rebounded to Billy Gilmour at the edge of the box. Gilmour unleashed a fierce strike that was too much for Pope to handle, and a vigilant Ferguson capitalized on the opportunity from close range.
Ferguson continued to trouble Newcastle’s defense in the second half, extending his tally with a magnificent curling shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards out in the 65th minute. Just five minutes later, he completed his hat-trick, joining the ranks of Erling Haaland and Son Heung-min in the elite Saturday hat-trick club. A stroke of luck came into play as his shot took a wicked deflection off Dan Burn, leaving Pope rooted to the spot.
Ferguson’s remarkable hat-trick accomplishment made him only the fourth player aged 18 or under to achieve this feat in the Premier League, joining the esteemed company of Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen, and Chris Bart-Williams. He received a standing ovation from the fans as he made way for Adam Lallana in the 81st minute.
As the game approached its conclusion, substitute Callum Wilson outfoxed Jan Paul van Hecke, finding the bottom corner from close range. However, this late effort did not spark an unlikely comeback for the beleaguered visitors.
Brighton’s impressive victory catapulted them to fourth place in the league standings. Their next challenge will be an away match against Manchester United in two weeks’ time, while the 14th-placed Newcastle United will host Brentford on September 17th following the international break.
