Ryan catches a long ball forward, and that should be that.
90' +2
Newcastle pile on some pressure, but Brighton keep a solid shape and get the ball clear. Not long left now, and no sign of a late winner yet.
90' +1
L. Dunk gets yellow.
Dunk is booked as the game draws to a close.
88'
MISS! Atsu drives down the left and makes some space, but his shot is stright out of play and nowhere near the target. Poor, poor effort.
84'
J. Murphy enters the game and replaces Joselu.
Joselu comes off for Murphy as Benitez desperately tries to inject some pace into his side.
82'
The game is slow and tepid here, nether side look particularly bothered about grabbing a winner. There's the occasional burst of pace and action, but the lack of quality soon returns the game to a slow tempo.
79'
Perez makes some room on the flank and crosses into the box, but it's a comfortable catch for Ryan.
76'
J. Shelvey enters the game and replaces Mikel Merino.
Merino surges into the box on the left and goes to ground as he tangles with Bong. He appeals furiously for a penalty, but it seemed like more of a coming-together than a foul really.
Shelvey comes on for Merino - on a booking - who hasn't had his best game today.
74'
Mikel Merino gets yellow.
Merino then follows him into the book, having committed one too many fouls today.
73'
A. Knockaert gets yellow.
Knockaert gets none of the ball as he catches the leg of Atsu from behind, and gets a yellow as a result.
Minute
Description
72'
Ayoze Pérez enters the game and replaces M. Ritchie.
Ritchie is replaced by Perez. His usually accurate crosses have been lacking in quality today, especially in comparison with Gross' deliveries for Brighton.
71'
The game has slowed to walking pace now as Brighton play the ball around the back. No signs of an inspired winner from either side yet, but Brighton continue to look dangerous from set-pieces.
68'
SAVE! Brighton win yet another corner through March on the left, despite appeals from Yedlin that he had handled the ball. Gross' delivery to the back post finds Duffy again, who nods back into the middle for Dunk, but his header is straight at Darlow!
63'
MISS! Joselu gets two attempts at goal, but his right-footed effort from outside the box is blocked, before he skies his second attempt on his left foot.
62'
T. Hemed enters the game and replaces G. Murray.
Murray, who has struggled to get into the game, is replaced by Hemed up front as Brighton look for a goal to go ahead.
61'
D. Yedlin gets yellow.
Brighton work a good opportunity as they ball the ball through Newcastle and to the edge of the box, but a slip at the vital moment takes the chance away.
Yedlin gets a deserved yellow card for hacking down March on the touchline.
58'
SAVE! Ryan makes a fantastic save with his left hand as Joselu flicks the ball towards the far corner from Atsu's dangerous cross! Great work from the Brighton keeper to keep the scores level at 0-0!
56'
MISS! March squeezes between two defenders on the left and fizzes the ball in low for Murray, who gets across his man but can only fire wide of the post!
54'
SAVE! Gross fires a free-kick on the edge of the box low towards the keeper's side, but Darlow doesn't get caught out and can pounce on the shot.
52'
CHANCE! Brighton get in on the left and cut the ball back, but it all breaks down as March gets caught between a cross and a shot, and ends up doing neither, and the ball sails out for a goal-kick.
50'
Newcastle have looked much better in the opening minutes of this second half. Clearly Benitez wasn't happy with their first-half showing and has told his side to step it up a notch.
48'
SAVE! Hayden fires through a crowd, and several deflections take it towards the bottom-left corner, only for Ryan to react quickly to keep it out!
46'
Newcastle get the ball rolling for the start of the second half!
Newcastle make a bright start, powering down the right-hand side, but Brighton just about nick the ball away and hack it clear.
45'
Neither side can create an opening in the final few minutes, and there doesn't appear to be any stoppage time either. The half-time whistle should be heard soon.
43'
Merino puts in a hefty challenge on March, but the referee doesn't produce a yellow card - just a free-kick.
42'
MISS! Brighton press high and win the ball back well, before breaking quickly and winning a corner. Gross' delivery finds Duffy again in the centre of the box, but his looping header towards the top corner is just over the bar.
40'
MISS! Joselu tries a shot from 20 yards or so from goal, but it's a poor effort and it trickles wide. He had better options there.
37'
MISS! A lovely, flowing attack sees Joselu back-heel into the path of Gayle, but his shot is blocked and then Merino drags the follow-up well wide.
35'
Atsu wins a free-kick in the Brighton half, but it's cleared away and the ball has to be worked all the way back to Darlow.
31'
SAVE! Ryan makes an excellent catch after good work from Atsu down the left to beat his man and get a cross in towards two men at the back stick. Solid goalkeeping from the Australian.
30'
MISS! Duffy again gets a chance from a corner - this time there's some pinball in the box before the ball breks to Duffy, but the defender snatches at the opportunity and lifts his shot high over the bar.
29'
A good ball from deep on the right is lofted towards Murray, but Newcastle do well to nick it away from him and shepherd it clear for a corner.
27'
Murray makes a hash of an attempted shot from a delivery into the box, but the flag is raised for offside against him anyway.
26'
SAVE! Knockaert receives the ball square on the edge of the box and performs a lovely Cryuff turn to work some space, but his shot on his weaker right foot is straight at Darlow, who holds on.
24'
Duffy and Gayle have a coming-together as they go for a header, but the Brighton man is penalised as he is adjudged to have nudged the Magpies striker. The free-kick is wasted, however, and goes straight behind for a goal-kcik.
21'
SAVE! A wonderful ball in behind allows Gayle to race through, but it takes him a little wide and he scuffs the ball back across goal from the byline. Ryan saves from the initial effort, and then picks up the pieces with Joselu running in to try and nick a tap-in.
19'
Gayle latches onto a clearance from yet another Brighton corner, but he's fouled before he can get the chance to race forward and spark a counter-attack.
16'
MISS! Brighton have won a few corners already today and they came close here with another. Gross' delivery has been typically dangerous, and he finds Duffy at the back post, but the centre-half can only head over the bar under pressure.
13'
CHANCE! The first chance of the game falls Newcastle's way as Yedlin races down the touchline and crosses for Gayle, but he just can't get up to it and the ball clips the top of his head and goes behind him.
11'
Murray looks like he's in the clear as he races onto a flick-on, but the flag is raised for offside. Still no real chances yet for either side.
8'
Brighton swing a couple of corners into the area, but Newcastle just about cling on and nick the ball away.
5'
The ball is lofted towrds Ritchie as he makes a run into the box off the right, but he can't keep hold of it after taking it on his chest as Brighton's back line holds firm and clears away.
3'
Newcastle with more of the ball in the opening stages, but no real penetration yet from either side.
1'
Brighton get the game underway!
Hello and welcome to our LIVE coverage of the Premier League fixture between Newcastle United and Brighton and Hove Albion at St James' Park in Newcastle.
The line-ups have been announced, and we'll start with the home side.
Rafa Benitez makes six alterations from the much-changed side that faced Manchester City, restoring several key players to the line-up - clearly prioritising games he deems to be more winnable. Rob Elliot and Javier Manquillo make way at the back, while the entire midfield is also replaced and the Magpies shift from 5-4-1 to 4-4-2.
Chris Hughton makes three changes of his own for this game. Ezequiel Schelotto and Markus Suttner make way for Bruno and Gaetan Bong at full-back, while Beram Kayal is replaced by star man Pascal Gross in the number 10 role.
This is only the second top-flight league meeting between these two clubs and the first to be played in Newcastle.
The hosts have just one win in their last 11 games - a 3-2 victory over West Ham that ended a nine-game winless run.
However, they may feel confident of getting three crucial points here against their fellow promoted side, having done the double over them in the Championship last season.
Having said that, Brighton had a good record against the Magpies before last season, winning the previous four meetings - although only one of those wins came away from home.
Brighton have been in patchy form themselves, with just two wins in their last 10 games - 1-0 wins over Watford and Swansea separated by seven winless games (D3 L4).
But the return of Gross to the line-up could inspire them to victory - the German has been directly involved in nine Premier League goals for Brighton this season (four goals, five assists) – four more than any other player at the club. He is the club’s most creative player, supplying his teammates with 40 goalscoring chances in the Premier League this term, double that of any other Seagulls’ player.
And it's half-time! Neither side has really managed to get a foothold in this game so far, although Brighton have looked dangerous from corners. Gross' deliveries have been on point, and the German's crosses have created three chances for Duffy in the box, but the centre-half failed to take any of them, twice heading over and shooting over the bar as well. That looks like the best avenue for a goal in this game so far though, as Newcastle's front-men have laboured without truly troubling Ryan in the Brighton goal, with most of their efforts failing to hit the target. It's 0-0 at half-time!
And there goes the full-time whistle! Perhaps the definition of a bore draw in the second half, neither side seemed to have the combination of quality and desire required to score a winning goal. Brighton will feel that they should have done better from a string of dangerous Gross crosses that fell to Duffy, but the centre-half couldn't capitalise on any of his chances. The game often slowed to walking pace in the final 20 minutes or so as both sides played the ball around with minimal urgency. It finishes 0-0 here at St James' Park.
Commentary
More…