Newcastle United have moved seven points clear of the relegation zone following a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Brighton at St James' Park.
Ryan Fraser gave Newcastle the lead in the 12th minute after Jacob Murphy's initial effort had come back off the upright. Fabian Schar doubled the Magpies' advantage just a couple of minutes later when the defender got his head on the end of Fraser's teasing free-kick.
Brighton responded well to going behind, however, after the break and Lewis Dunk pulled one back with a header of his own in the 55th minute. Although Brighton pushed for an equaliser, Newcastle managed to hold firm to extend their unbeaten run in the Premier League to eight games.
Here are five things we learned from the match.
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Newcastle get over the line to secure priceless three points
Remarkably, it is less than four months since Eddie Howe and assistant Jason Tindall sat in the directors' box with Amanda Staveley to watch the reverse fixture at the Amex ahead of taking charge of Newcastle. Newcastle showed real fight that night to come from behind to earn a point and the Magpies could have even won the game late on, but goalkeeper Robert Sanchez fouled Callum Wilson as the number nine was clean through on goal.
However, that did not necessarily tell the whole story. Newcastle only mustered one shot on target that night and Callum Wilson admitted earlier this week that 'we weren't set up in a way that' Eddie Howe 'would have probably wanted'.
A lot has changed since then and, perhaps, Graham Potter said it best when asked what had improved under Howe. The Brighton boss started his answer by simply saying: "Everything."
There were ultimately only three survivors from the reverse fixture in Newcastle's starting line-up on Saturday. Yes, Howe spent more than £90m last month but Fabian Schar, Joelinton, Joe Willock and Ryan Fraser, who were all on the bench at the Amex, have looked reborn under the head coach. It was rather fitting, then, that it was Fraser and Schar who stepped up with the goals to give Newcastle another valuable win.
It was not pretty, but Newcastle managed to get over the line on Saturday. Just.
Ryan Fraser is a player transformed as Newcastle's new game-changer
Ryan Fraser looked absolutely shattered when he was replaced by Bruno Guimaraes in the 79th minute. Understandably so. As well as working tirelessly off the ball, the Scot international was Newcastle's main attacking threat and made two pivotal contributions in the early stages.
After a strong start from Brighton, who were causing Newcastle real problems from set-pieces, the Magpies stunned Brighton with two goals in as many minutes before the quarter-hour mark. Newcastle hit Brighton on the counter in the 12th minute as Chris Wood cut the visitors open with a brilliant through ball to send Jacob Murphy clear. Although the winger's dink came back off the upright, Fraser was there to power home the rebound after smartly staying alert inside the box.
Brighton fans had been taunting 'Is this a library?' just a couple of minutes previously but, soon, all four corners of the stadium were singing: 'E-I-E-I-E-I-O - up the Premier League we go!' Newcastle doubled their advantage just two minutes later when Fraser's free-kick was nodded in by Fabian Schar at the near post to leave St James' rocking.
Fraser has now got two goals and two assists in his last five games. To put that turnaround into perspective, the player of the month nominee had previously been directly involved in as many goals during his entire spell at the club. Few have mirrored Newcastle's recent turnaround quite like Fraser, who scored and assisted in a Premier League game for the first time in almost three years.
Newcastle finally end their Brighton hoodoo
Brighton may have lost three on the bounce going into this game, and won just one of their last eight fixtures in all competitions, but Graham Potter's side have always proved a sticky opponent for Newcastle. Indeed, Newcastle had never previously beaten Brighton in the Premier League and never even scored against the Seagulls at St James' Park.
Therefore, this was always going to be a good test of how far Newcastle have come under Howe. In a way, it was a chance to lay down a marker of sorts by defeating a side in the top half for the first time this season.
Newcastle were far from their best - the Magpies did not hit the levels they have in recent weeks - but Howe's side managed to get over the line when previously they may have crumbled. Indeed, Newcastle had thrown away 21 points from winning positions earlier this season.
It was Newcastle's final home game before a tricky run of fixtures on the road at Southampton, Everton, Chelsea and Spurs so it was crucial that the Magpies extended their unbeaten run, which now stretches to eight games. There is work to do yet, of course, but Newcastle are now seven points clear of the relegation zone. Was it any wonder that Primal Scream hit 'Movin' on Up' played over the public address system at full-time?
Dan Burn's presence is felt at both clubs
Dan Burn's move to Newcastle was so 'stressful' on deadline day that the centre-back did not even get the chance to properly say goodbye to some of his Brighton team-mates. That made this game even more special for the defender as he came up against his former club for the first time since returning home to Tyneside last January.
However, there can be no doubting where Burn's loyalties lie now. Just as fellow new arrival Matt Targett answered a few questions Eddie Howe had, ahead of facing Aston Villa, you can bet Burn gave the inside track on Brighton - even if Graham Potter's flexible side are very unpredictable.
It was a window where Newcastle first attempted to sign centre-backs with Champions League experience in Sven Botman and Diego Carlos, but Burn's Premier League experience has proved priceless. It is not an exaggeration to say that the vocal Burn's influence has certainly been felt on and off the field at Newcastle while Brighton have certainly missed him.
Since Burn made his debut for Newcastle, against Villa, last month, the Magpies have picked up 10 points from a possible 12 and only conceded two goals. Brighton, in contrast, have failed to claim a single point, shipping nine goals in the process.
Weakening a rival has been an added bonus of this £13m deal for Newcastle. Newcastle, after all, may have had a commanding lead at 2-0 but, without Burn, Brighton would have got back into this earlier than they ultimately did. The centre-back made a series of crucial interventions inside his own box as Brighton repeatedly tried to pull the ball back across goal and one block to deny Pascal Gross was particularly important.
Dan Ashworth will already be excited to sample *this* St James' Park
Dan Ashworth's name will have surely come up when Amanda Staveley and Mehrdad Ghodoussi welcomed Brighton's hierarchy to the boardroom at St James' Park on Saturday. Ashworth is currently on an extended period of gardening leave, after resigning from his post as Brighton's technical director last month, but Newcastle hope to eventually reach an agreement with the Seagulls to cut short his notice period.
Ashworth tends to work in six-year cycles, and had not officially achieved his aim of turning Brighton into a top 10 club, but it is easy to see why the 50-year-old left Brighton early. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity, after all.
Indeed, you can bet Ashworth was tuning in as his future club went up against his former club and the sporting director will have been blown away by the atmosphere - even from afar. Wor Flags again set the tone before a ball was even kicked with a stunning display as around 20,000 foils were placed on the seats in the Gallowgate and Leazes Ends and a host of flags were left in the East Stand.
That sense of unity at all levels - owners, coaching staff, players and supporters - has been crucial to Newcastle's recent turnaround and the supporters helped get the Magpies over the line late on. Perhaps, unsurprisingly, Newcastle have only lost one Premier League game at home under Eddie Howe, against champions Man City, and the black-and-whites have picked up 70% of their points at St James' Park since the head coach took charge.
It certainly was not pretty, but Newcastle have now won three consecutive Premier League home fixtures for the first time since 2019.
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