Cupset specialists, Newport County eye up another giant killing as they welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to Rodney Parade in Sunday Night Football on the Third Round weekend of 2020-21 FA Cup.
Michael Flynn’s Exiles sit just 54 positions behind Brighton in the football pyramid with a home pedigree for cupsets, meaning that Graham Potter’s Seagulls are set for a tough contest here.
Team News
Ryan Taylor could return for Newport after three months out with a hamstring injury.
Kyle Howkins is also set to return after missing nearly fourth months with a combination of hamstring and groin injuries, whilst Owen Windsor is cup-tied after playing in the competition during his loan spell at Grimsby earlier this season.
Brighton have no fresh injury concerns to report after last weekend’s 3-3 Premier League draw against Wolves, as Adam Lallana and Steven Alzate are set to miss this match through illness.
Danny Welbeck (knee) is also a doubt and the trio could join Yves Bissouma (suspension), Tariq Lamptey (hamstring), Aaron Connolly (groin), Jose Izquierdo (thigh) and Florian Andone (knee) on the sidelines.
Stat Attack
- Newport have won just one of three previous FA Cup meetings against Brighton (W1, L2).
- Brighton have failed to keep clean sheets in two previous FA Cup trips to Newport (W1, L1).
- Newport have lost just one of their last five home FA Cup games against higher league opposition (W3, D1, L1).
Prediction
Newport County are currently flying high in League Two this season and have scored in all 26 matches across league and English Football’s two biggest Cup competitions, making them a serious worry for Brighton whose defence isn’t exactly impressive and winless in their last eight matches.
Saying that, the Seagulls do possess plenty of goalscorers so I am expecting goals here but their main priority has to be survival in the Premier League, which I reckon could influence their lineup although this game is more winnable than Wednesday’s trip to Manchester City.
Newport however have developed a taste for cupsets at home against higher league opposition and have nothing to lose here, so I can see them getting a result here.
Prediction: Newport 2-1 Brighton
Result: Newport 1-1 Brighton (Brighton win 4-3 on penalties)
Leave a Reply