Brighton 1-2 Newcastle: Championship as it happened

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There were no more goals to report from tonight's other two Championship fixtures, with Aston Villa recording back-to-back wins for only the third time this season following a 2-0 home defeat of Bristol City.

A second-half penalty from Craig Conway also extended Derby's winless run to six matches and gave Blackburn renewed hope of avoiding the dreaded drop under new manager Tony Mowbray.

Here is a quick look at the updated standings before we sign off for the evening...

Brighton, who are certainly not accustomed to losing at home, drop back to second and two points off top spot. They looked content to hand over control of the game to Newcastle after edging ahead and ultimately paid the price.

They will look to get back to winning ways at Nottingham Forest, no doubt with a keen eye on what transpires at the Kirklees Stadium on Saturday evening. The gap to Huddersfield is now six points, with the Terriers possessing that game in hand.

What a dramatic finish at the Amex. Trailing for most of the game after that contentious early Murray penalty, away specialists Newcastle persevere and somehow pull off a victory that sees them return to the top of the Championship table and open up an eight-point gap on third-place Huddersfield.

That should come as quite the confidence boost ahead of Saturday's trip to West Yorkshire and further tough games against Reading and Fulham. An instant return to the Premier League surely beckons for Benitez and co.

Full-time

Brighton 1-2 Newcastle

Lascelles wins a free-kick that will relieve any sort of pressure on the Newcastle goal.

Murray shows his frustration and picks up a yellow card. Brighton cannot get the ball forward.

Four minutes of added time for a shell-shocked Brighton to find the equaliser that would keep them at the Championship summit.

Ritchie glides a glorious cross-field pass beyond Bruno to Atsu, who runs at the Spaniard before setting up Perez for a tidy side-footed finish into the bottom corner.

What a turnaround. "We are top of the league" sing the jubilant travelling supporters.

Goal: Brighton 1-2 Newcastle (Ayoze Perez)

Knockaert's race is run. Solly March is introduced instead.

Daryl Murphy slices an ambitious attempt high and wide after some uncharacteristically sloppy play from Sidwell.

Brighton are looking a bit skittish now.

Benitez sends on Perez in place of Gouffran. Hughton attempts to solidify his midfield by replacing Baldock with Beram Kayal.

The away end erupts after perhaps the flukiest equaliser you are ever likely to see.

Ritchie's latest corner is punched away by Stockdale, who would have been better off leaving the ball for Murray. Atsu completely fluffs his attempted volley, which crashes into the unsuspecting Diame before spinning high and into the top corner.

Tomori tried his best, but could not manage to head the ball off the line.

A truly bizarre goal. Diame's first since December.

Goal: Brighton 1-1 Newcastle (Mohamed Diame)

Ritchie pops up on the right wing this time and his near-post cross is met by Daryl Murphy. Stockdale pushes his header wide.

Daryl Murphy is left completely unmarked in the Brighton box, but he can only head Ritchie's left-wing corner into the grateful hands of Stockdale.

What an impact that would have been. Wretched defending from the hosts.

Midfielder Colback is the man to make way for Daryl Murphy. An unsurprisingly attacking change from Benitez with time running out.

Duffy and Diame look a little worse for wear after a heavy aerial collision. Both players will be fine to continue, however.

Daryl Murphy is preparing to come on for Newcastle as they search for that elusive equaliser.

Brighton strikers Baldock and Murray probe patiently for another opening. Murphy cuts in from the left-hand flank and unleashes a fierce drive that was never likely to trouble Darlow.

Lascelles vs Murray is turning into an intriguing battle. Sidwell looks incredulous after being whistled for a debatable foul on Gouffran.

Murray holds off Clark before hitting the deck again under minimal contact from Lascelles. No penalty this time.

Darlow displays more nerves with a sliced clearance into touch. Brighton then quickly work a corner which is cleared.

The hosts still hold that narrow lead with under 30 minutes left to play.

Elsewhere in the Championship, Villa now lead Bristol City 2-0 thanks to goals from Kodjia and Conor Hourihane.

A Craig Conway penalty has also given Tony Mowbray's Blackburn a vital lead against Derby at Ewood Park.

Duffy does not make contact with a lunge on Shelvey but is rightly booked for the challenge.

The Newcastle playmaker's long-range free-kick is comfortably held by Stockdale.

Stockdale goes from zero to hero in a matter of seconds.

The highly-rated goalkeeper inexplicably gifts possession to Gouffran before recovering quickly to save his shot. Duffy is then on hand to clear.

That should have been 1-1.

Duffy launches himself at an Atsu shot after Dummett's low cross finds the Ghanaian international in space on the edge of the penalty area.

Knockaert combines nicely with Baldock and produces a left-footed effort that is kept out by Darlow.

Both teams have begun this second half in surprisingly jittery fashion.

Stockdale comes racing out to beat Gouffran to the ball after Stephens' initial mistake is followed by a poor backpass from Sidwell.

Dummett clears off the line after Dunk beats the unconvincing Darlow to a searching Knockaert free-kick.

Newcastle get the second half underway. The visitors could really do with a positive result here ahead of that trip to Huddersfield.

Hardly a goal-fest across the Championship this evening, as you can see...

Aston Villa striker Jonathan Kodjia has missed a penalty against former club Bristol City.

An engrossing opening 45 minutes draws to a close, with Murray's penalty still separating these Championship title rivals.

Brighton started the evening all guns blazing, but have ceded control to Newcastle since going in front.

It's all set up for an entertaining second period.

Half-time

Brighton 1-0 Newcastle

What a chance for Newcastle to equalise on the stroke of half-time. Stockdale stands firm to deny Atsu and Bruno knocks the rebound away from Colback.

An extremely awkward cross-cum-shot from Ritchie is pushed away by Stockdale. Tomori gets to the rebound ahead of Atsu and is then fouled by his Chelsea teammate.

Two minutes of added time have been signalled by the fourth official. This first half has rather flown by, it must be said.

Brighton try to launch another devastating counter-attack, but this time Knockaert's cross-field pass for Murphy is not quite on the money.

A let-off for Newcastle.

Alert defending from Dunk to turn a powerful low cross behind. Sidwell hacks away an initial corner at the near post before Murray heads clear Atsu's weak attempt.

Murray hooks a decent volley on goal after a Brighton free-kick is flicked away by Lascelles. Darlow beats the ball away in rather theatrical fashion.

Knockaert joins Yedlin in the book after blocking a cross with his hand. Shelvey's deep free-kick causes a touch of panic before being cleared.

DeAndre Yedlin trips Baldock as the former MK Dons striker attempts to collect a useful long ball forward. The crowd bay for red, but the referee quickly produces a yellow card.

A 25-yard strike from Dale Stephens cannons off Clark and is just about kept in play by Darlow, much to Brighton's chagrin.

At the other end, Shelvey's shot is easily blocked by Sidwell before Atsu balloons an effort well over the crossbar.

Knockaert appeals furiously to the referee after being prevented from taking a quick throw-in by Jack Colback. The Newcastle midfielder receives a ticking off, but no yellow card.

The increasingly influential Atsu plays a lovely one-two with Shelvey and Diame is just unable to apply the finishing touch to a deflected shot that loops up towards the back post.

After a good battle between Diame and Lewis Dunk, Gouffran fires off a low shot that is well saved by David Stockdale.

Newcastle have largely dominated possession since going behind. Shelvey drives forward after picking up on a wayward Murray pass but his attempted back-post cross towards Diame is overhit and sails out of play.

A bit of needle there between Knockaert and the combustible Shelvey. That could be an interesting battle to watch as this match progresses.

Christian Atsu runs at fellow Chelsea man Tomori and tees up Gouffran, whose hopeful effort is blocked by elder statesman Steve Sidwell.

A mix-up between Diame and Ritchie then allows Duffy to poke the ball away from danger. The latter makes no attempt to hide his frustration.

Looking to muster a quick response, Newcastle pour forward and win their first corner of the evening.

The attack ends with a botched left-footed cross from Ritchie that clips the crossbar on its way over. That could easily have nestled in the top corner.

Hughton is forced into an early change.

Pocognoli does not look to have shaken off that groin issue and is replaced by Chelsea loanee Fikayo Tomori.

A reminder that Brighton have won all 18 Championship matches in 2016-17 in which they've scored the opening goal of the game.

Newcastle have yet to win a league game this season after going behind...

What a start for Brighton as they look to extend their lead at the summit. Having won the penalty, Murray dusts himself off and coolly picks out the bottom corner from 12 yards.

Darlow dived the wrong way.

Goal: Brighton 1-0 Newcastle (Glenn Murray)

Madley points to the spot after a bit of WWE-style grappling between Clark and Murray.

Penalty to Brighton

Knockaert seizes on a sloppy header from Dummett and is promptly brought down by an unsuspecting Ritchie, who remains one yellow card away from suspension.

An inventive free-kick routine then sees Murphy lay-off for Knockaert, who scoops the ball into Baldock. Darlow turns his shot behind at the near post.

Knockaert is crowded out in the Newcastle box before Duffy sets his stall out with a meaty challenge on Diame.

Just as he did for the first goal against Reading, Bruno looks to connect with a sweeping long pass forward for Baldock. This time the striker is unable to control.

Brighton are doing all the early running here.

After a Pocognoli cross is headed away by Clark, captain Bruno tests Darlow's reflexes with a powerful long-range volley.

Murphy swings in a dangerous cross from the left-hand side. The experienced Glenn Murray positions himself between the Newcastle central defenders, only for left-back Paul Dummett to make an excellent covering header.

It's been a combative start at the Amex.

Diame concedes a free-kick and Darlow repels Shane Duffy's goal-bound header after an unusual delivery from Bruno.

Brighton will kick from right to left in this first half. Newcastle are sporting their navy and orange away strip.

Here we go then. Referee Robert Madley gets the biggest Championship fixture of the season off and running.

Huddersfield will be very interested spectators indeed.

What happened the last time these two teams squared off at St James' Park in August 2016?

Newcastle skipper Jamaal Lascelles headed home Matt Ritchie's 15th-minute delivery and Jonjo Shelvey later notched a free-kick to secure a third straight win for the relegated Toon, who gleefully ended 10-man Brighton's unbeaten start to the season.

Both Gouffran and Knockaert hit the woodwork, while Baldock picked up a second booking 10 minutes after the interval.

It was Newcastle's first win over the Seagulls since 1990.

It's fair to say that Benitez's decision to have Gouffran leading the Newcastle attack ahead of natural strikers Mitrovic and Murphy has caused a fair bit of consternation on social media.

Opinion among fans seems to be split between those who feel the manager is being unnecessarily negative and those who believe that his workrate and speed will be instrumental.

The versatile French winger will certainly be under the spotlight...

Benitez, who was said to be unhappy with Newcastle's lack of January spending after a deadline day return to Tyneside for Andros Townsend fell through, also took the time to praise the job that Hughton is doing on the south coast.

He is doing a great job and he has a very good team – a team who have been in the play-offs three times in the last four years, so they have the experience and the squad to be there.

The players know that every game is important, and we still have a lot of games to play. They have all the information, but they all react in one way or another way. My job is to keep sending the right message. We have to keep doing things in the same way – training well, sticking together, helping each other.

You could see the reaction of our fans (on Saturday), and it is the same situation now – going away with our fans behind the team. We are really pleased (with) that, and the best way to say 'thank you' is to give everything on the pitch and try to win.

Benitez, meanwhile, knows that Newcastle's stellar away record makes them a force to be reckoned with on the road regardless of the opposition's strength.

Our away record means that we can go and play against anyone trying to win. In football, you never know, but we will try to win. It is important to have the belief that we can do it – because we have done it during the whole season.

We know that we made some mistakes (against Bristol City), but because the reaction was so good, you have to think about the positives. We have to try and play in the same way that we did in the second half – with the same determination, with the same attacking football, trying to create chances.

On the game itself, Hughton said...

The major significance of this game is that it's the next one. I don't think Newcastle are under any more pressure than what we are. It's the pressure that you want at this end of the table.

They're an exceptionally good side with exceptional players, hence why they've been right at the top end of this division all season and are probably, in most people's eyes, the favourites to win it.

There's no doubt that it's a big game because of where we are in the division. It's a very significant fixture but there are a lot of games to play afterwards.

I would expect the majority of those games to be very difficult ones as well. Newcastle is the next one and that's how we have to treat it. We're at home and it's a game that we want to win.

Hughton knows a thing or two about Newcastle, of course, having led the club to a dominant 102-point title triumph on their last visit to the Championship back in 2009-10. He was controversially sacked in December 2010 with the team sitting 11th in the Premier League.

Speaking this week, the affable Irishman claimed that getting Brighton to the promised land would be a greater achievement.

In any player's career or manager's career, you look back on big moments and that was certainly a very big moment for myself [winning the Championship with Newcastle]. It was my first managerial role, so it was something that was very special for me. But more importantly, it was very special for the football club.

It's certainly the highlight. As a manager, you want to be part of winning teams, whether that's winning leagues, promotion or cups. But the achievement here [winning promotion] would be greater, because of where we are as a football club. Newcastle have been an established Premier League club with massive support.

This is a club that has never been in the Premier League, so as an achievement, it would certainly be greater.

Brighton vs Newcastle is one of three Championship fixtures on the slate for tonight, with Aston Villa also taking on Bristol City and Derby County travelling to relegation-battlers Blackburn Rovers.

David Wagner's in-form Huddersfield, who are five points off the automatic promotion pace in third, were due to be in action against Wolves but that match was postponed due to the Terriers' FA Cup fifth-round replay at Manchester City being scheduled for tomorrow night.

Here's how the table looks following Sunday's East Anglian derby between Norwich City and Ipswich Town at Carrow Road...

An intriguing team selection from Benitez, who retains faith in goalkeeper Karl Darlow despite a spate of recent errors.

His only two changes come in the final third, where Mohamed Diame starts just behind Yoan Gouffran. Ayoze Perez and Aleksandar Mitrovic both drop to the bench.

Daryl Murphy, who has scored in all of his last four Championship outings against Brighton, is also named as a substitute.

With Pocognoli fit, Brighton stick with the same matchday squad.

The teamsheet is out...

While Brighton face lower opposition in the form of Nottingham Forest and Rotherham United next, tonight's game begins a particularly defining stretch for Newcastle.

Benitez's side remain on the road for potentially difficult back-to-back trips against top-six rivals Huddersfield Town and Reading after this before hosting another play-off hopeful in Fulham.

While Brighton produced a counter-attacking masterclass to dispatch of Jaap Stam's Reading over the weekend courtesy of goals from Sam Baldock, Jamie Murphy and Anthony Knockaert, Newcastle could well have lost at home to a struggling Bristol City team that had lost 10 of their previous 13 league games.

The Magpies found themselves 2-0 down inside 21 minutes after efforts from Aaron Wilbraham and David Cotterill. They just about kept their grip on top spot after Korey Smith's own goal and a late equalising header from Ciaran Clark, but dropped down to second after the day's late kick-off.

A couple of interesting stats from Opta that should give home fans reason to be optimistic ahead of the game...

Brighton left-back Sebastien Pocognoli, on loan from West Bromwich Albion, is available for selection this evening. The Belgian was substituted during the latter stages of Saturday's thoroughly impressive 3-0 defeat of play-off hopefuls Reading in order to protect a groin strain.

"He's okay, but we felt that would be the case fairly quickly after the (Reading) game," Hughton said. "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."

Gaeten Bong is out with a knee problem, while Liam Rosenior is working his way back from a serious ankle injury. Defender Connor Goldson will not play again this season after being diagnosed with a heart issue during a routine cardiac screening and undergoing preventative surgery.

Newcastle, who have won 11 of their 16 away matches to date this term, will remain without influential 20-goal striker Dwight Gayle as they seek to become only the second team to come away from the Amex with all three points.

The Championship's joint-top scorer alongside Chris Wood of Leeds United, Gayle was forced off after 33 minutes of a 2-0 win over Aston Villa last Monday night. It was his first start since missing a month of action due to a recurring hamstring injury.

While subsequent tests revealed no serious damage, the 26-year-old, a £10m January arrival from Crystal Palace, has not yet been deemed mentally prepared to return.

"[He is] still improving, but not ready. I said before that he has to make sure he is ready mentally," Benitez said during a pre-match press conference held yesterday. "He is improving, but he is not ready for this game."

Good evening and welcome to IBTimes UK's live coverage of arguably the most important and eagerly-anticipated Championship fixture of the season between the two runaway favourites for automatic promotion to the Premier League.

Tonight's Shrove Tuesday action comes from the stylish and thoroughly modern Amex Stadium in Falmer, where table-topping Brighton & Hove Albion entertain second-place Newcastle United in a match that is likely to have sizable title repercussions with only 13 games left to go in 2016-17. Just a single point separates the two teams ahead of kick-off.

Stay tuned to read everything you need to know about a high-profile contest that pits the league's best home team against its strongest away outfit. We'll be bring you all the latest injury/team news and the pre-match thoughts of both Chris Hughton and Rafael Benitez before providing minute-by-minute updates after the game gets underway at 19.45 GMT.

This should be a cracker.