Brighton v Newcastle United player ratings: Leandro Trossard 8, Danny Welbeck 8; Miguel Almiron 3, Joelinton 2

Seagulls win relegation battle 3-0 to leave Magpies manager Steve Bruce on the brink

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  BRIGHTON RATINGS: Robert Sanchez - 6: Nothing to do in first half bar one commanding claim from a Clark long-ball into box. Nothing to do in second bar one easy save from Fraser. AFP

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  Jakub Moder - 6: Pole making his first Premier League start could have scored two in opening few minutes. Hacked first high and wide, shot straight at Dubravka with second. Saw another weak finish saved comfortably after half-time. AP

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  Ben White - 7: Centre-half strolled through game up against a woefully impotent away attack. Getty

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  Lewis Dunk - 7: No problems whatsoever in first half for the captain when Newcastle failed to manage a single shot on target. Not exactly over-exerted in the second either. PA

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  Joel Veltman - 7: Dutch provided the ball forward for Trossard’s goal. Swept up well at the back on few occasions Newcastle threatened. PA

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  Pascal Gross - 6: German found himself in dangerous positions in first half but final ball was often lacking. Found his radar with excellent cross to Maupay for third goal. AP

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  Adam Lallana - 7: Doesn’t affect matches like he used to but still helped team dominate this game game from start to finish. PA

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  Yves Bissouma - 8: African midfielder showed his tackling ability when he tracked back a Shelvey surge forward and produced perfectly timed sliding challenge. Found himself at other end of pitch soon after but his side-foot finish from edge of box easily saved by Dubravka. Left distraught when his accidental collision with Hayden saw Newcastle man pick up serious injury. Reuters

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  Leandro Trossard - 8: Belgian can drop his shoulder and beat a man so easily. Was often given too much time and space by Newcastle. No surprise when he put Brighton in front with brilliant run and curling finish just before half-time. Reuters

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  Danny Welbeck - 8: Former Arsenal and Manchester United striker provided clever first-time pass for Moder that the Pole could only fire straight at goalkeeper. Caused Newcastle lots of problems and stretched their back four throughout. Took advantage of poor defending to cut inside and fire home a wonderful finish from edge of box just after half-time. AFP

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  Neal Maupay. - 7: Scored two goals in the first seven minutes in the corresponding fixture back in September and it was his good ball into box set up early chance for Moder. Had ball in net after nine minutes but had fouled Dubravka before poking home. Should have done better with side-footed shot blocked by Dummett. Made emends with lovely acrobatic first-time finish to make it 3-0. AP

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  SUBS: Alexis Mac Allister – (On for Trossard 78’) N/A. Andi Zeqiri – (on for Welbeck 85’) N/A. Davy Propper – (on for Moder 89’) N/A. PA

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  NEWCASTLE RATINGS: Martin Dubravka - 6: Not commanding enough on early cross that he spilled, although had been given nudge by Maupay. Woefully exposed and had no chance with any of Brighton’s goals which were all quality finishes. Getty

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  Javier Manquillo - 4: Spanish full-back returned to the side after injury and was under pressure early on as Brighton targeted his right flank. Picked up painful looking knock after 20 minutes kicking bottom of Moder’s boot but carried on. Poor defending to allow Welbeck to ghost inside and make the score 2-0. Reuters

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  Jamal Lascelles - 4: Captain couldn’t lift his team as Newcastle produced their worst performance of the season, for which there is plenty of competition. Getty

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  Ciaran Clark - 4: Important tackle on Maupay just before half-hour mark when French attacker was threatening to get shot away. Allowed Trossard to come inside and fire Brighton into the lead just before break. Getty

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  Paul Dummett – 5: One important block from Maupay in first half, although not convinced he knew much about it. Booked for heavy challenge on Gross and allowed the German too much space when he crossed for the third goal. AFP

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  Jonjo Shelvey - 5: Put in a shift but looks slow when Brighton had possession and his distribution was often wayward. Supplied cross Hayden with Newcastle’s only chance in first half. Threaded one good ball through to Fraser down left midway through second period. AFP

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  Joe Willock - 5: Has made a difference to Newcastle’s midfield since joining on loan from Arsenal but couldn’t lift an all-round woeful team performance. Hooked on the hour – but could have been any of midfield or attack. AFP

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  Isaac Hayden - 4: The usually reliably midfielder looks uncomfortable in current team set-up. Weak header wide after 37 minutes was Newcastle’s first effort on target. Very unlucky when an off-balance Bissouma fell onto his leg and was in agony as he was carried off the pitch. Looked a bad one. EPA

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  Ryan Fraser - 3: Awful in first half, no attacking threat and poor distribution from the Scotsman. Handed golden opportunity by Almiron just after break but his curling finish struck outside of post. Brighton made it 2-0 minutes later. Saw another shot saved by Sanchez that was going wide anyway. AP

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  Miguel Almiron - 3: Paraguayan rushed back into side after missing two games through injury but was non-existent going forward. Supplied Fraser with one good ball that led to Scot hitting post. Didn’t look fit and went off with 15 minutes to go. Reuters

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  Joelinton - 2: An absolute waste of space. Contributed absolutely nothing and it continues to defy belief that Newcastle paid £40m for the Brazilian. PA

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  SUBS: Jeff Hendrick – (On for Hayden 45’) 3: One appalling touch just before hour that gifted possession to Brighton. Confidence shot to pieces. AP

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  Jacob Murphy – (on for Willock 62’) 4: Couldn’t bring about any change in momentum. One embarrassing attempt to lob the keeper in injury-time that summed up Newcastle’s attack. Sean Longstaff – (On for Almiron 76’) N/A.

Brighton surged six points clear of the Premier League relegation zone with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Newcastle United on Saturday to pile more pressure on Magpies manager Steve Bruce.

Leandro Trossard, Danny Welbeck and Neal Maupay were on target for the Seagulls as Graham Potter's men turned their dominance into goals.

Brighton had won just once at home in the league since June, but increased Newcastle's relegation fears following Saturday's victory.

Bruce's men remain just two points clear of third-bottom Fulham, albeit with a game in hand.

However, momentum is against Newcastle as they have won just two of their last 19 games.

The visitors also suffered the latest in a series of injury blows as Isaac Hayden was carried off on a stretcher off before half time with what looked like a serious knee problem.

Brighton took advantage of the first-half stoppage time added on for the Hayden injury as Trossard smartly brought the ball under control and cut inside before finding the bottom corner with a well-struck shot.

Ryan Fraser came closest to a Newcastle response when he hit the post shortly after the restart.

But it was Brighton who doubled their lead on 51 minutes when Welbeck followed Trossard's example with a precise low finish into the far corner from outside the area.

Maupay rounded off the scoring 22 minutes from time by volleying home Pascal Gross's cross.