As a reassuringly strong sun shone on Tyneside and the air turned sufficiently balmy to consign winter coats to the back of the wardrobe at last, memories of Newcastle’s trip to Milan last September resurfaced.
Home fans had probably not felt as warm watching a match since that Champions League draw at San Siro but Brighton’s often impressively fancy footwork left their hopes of enjoying more European adventures next season very much in the balance.