41 mins: Joelinton feeds Gordon who feeds Livramento, who thinks he should have a corner when his low ball in appears to deflect off a Brighton shin. The ref thinks otherwise.

39 mins: Newcastle have Brighton comfortably at arms length at the moment, soaking up visiting possession in a 4-5-1 block before breaking away through Gordon but Estipunan foils it with a decent tackle.

36 mins: Semi-automated offside technology has just told us what a human man’s eye also told us, that Isak was offside back then.

35 mins: This game is suiting Newcastle’s traditional strengths under Howe, sharp on the counter and solid in defence, more than they have been in recent weeks. Another Isak break results in another Brighton booking, as Webster clatters him.

Newcastle goal disallowed

31 mins: Lamptey combines with Minteh down the right to win a corner after a good break initially on the left from Joao Pedro and Mitoma. But the corner is headed harmlessly over by a stretching Webster. Brighton are struggling to do much with their pretty passing patterns in danger areas..

29 mins: Booking for Brighton: Lamptey is having an engrossing old battle down his right with Gordon, who dispossesses the Brighton right-back and is brought down crudely by him. Lamptey is first in the book.

27 mins: Joelinton volleys a sumptuous ball out left to Watson who forays inside and curves a shot in but Verbruggen dives to save comfortably.

26 mins: Brighton win a corner when Joao Pedro’s cross deflects behind off Burn, but Newcastle are defending well and in numbers and all the visitors can muster is a speculative lobbed shot from Joao Pedro that dobs comfortably into Dubravka’s arms.

24 mins: Brighton have probably had more of the ball thus far but Newcastle the clearer chances, and they nearly have another as Isak tries to play Barnes through on the inside right channel but it’s well intercepted.

The penalty had its origins in some nice interplay between Gordon, Joelinton and Livramento on the left and when the latter foraged into the box, Minteh went in the wrong side. A fairly obvious penalty.

Goal! Newcastle 1-0 Brighton (Isak 22 pen)

Penalty to Newcastle!

18 mins: Brighton win an attacking throw after harrying Dubravka into a clearance out, but Newcastle’s back line holds its shape and the visitors can’t find a way through and are pressed all the way back. It’s a bit cagey at present

16 mins: Brighton gain possession again after a mistake gives Mitoma a chance, he knocks it back to, I think, Baleba whose shot is well closed down. Newcastle break swiftly but Isak’s low shot is straight at Verbruggen.

15 mins: Brighton knock it around smartly around halfway but Newcastle press them well and keep them well clear of the danger area, until a longer ball finds Rutter but his attempt to dink Joao Pedro through is overhit sloppily

11 mins: Newcastle building nicely down the left, and another neat combination between Livramento and Gordon is foiled by an offside flag against the latter.

8 mins: Newcastle win a corner after a wild back pass from Webster sails out. Trippier’s delivery is headed clear and Brighton break on the right through Estupinan, Rutter and Lamptey but the ball in is a fraction overhit. Nice end to end flow thus far.

7 mins: “Joao Pedro plays a nice give and go with Baleba and falls awkwardly as he’s successfully tackled just inside the box by Trippier, who’s also smarting a little from the collision.

5 mins: “Newcastle without Isak are a bit like U2 without Bono,” says Sam Matterface on comms. That actually sounds quite an appealing prospect. Anyway, Tonali is fouled and wins a free-kick just inside Brighton’s half but the lump into the box is in vain as Burn clatters Van Hecke and concedes a free-kick.

3 mins: Newcastle chance! Barnes leads a foray through the centre, then gets it back from Gordon and sends in a teasing cross to the back post for Isak, whose header is pushed back out to him but he blasts over.

1 min: Brighton start breezily, with Mitoma initiating an attack down the left but the ball in from Hinshelwood is easily repelled.

Peep!

The teams enter the field on “cathedral on the hill” (please don’t leave it, Newcastle, we need our great urban central football grounds).

Some pre-match chat from the gaffers:

Eddie Howe tells ITV the tie is “an opportunity for those players coming in. We’ve got a good squad and I try to use it and pick a team that’s really strong. I like the look of the team pre-game, and it’s a big opportunity for those coming in.” Of Isak, he adds: “He’s in. He’s fully fit, he’s recovered, and we’re delighted he’s back. He’s been a pivotal figure for us, he’s led the line really well and scored a number of goals. We’re delighted he’s ready for the game.” Though the Newcastle manager cautions that his side must defend better than they have in recent games.

Fabian Hurzeler says: “When less top clubs are in the tournament, the chance is bigger. On the other side, we all know that the cups, they always have their own laws, their own rules, so you don’t know what will come next. This Cup tournament already proved it this season so far. There’s been a lot of crazy results.”

“Hi Tom.” Hi Paul O’Neill. “Given that the Magpies are playing the Seagulls, I wondered whether the reference to ‘the clubs’ pecking order’ in the preamble was a deliberate pun.” Heh, I truly don’t know my own strength. “And – this might be beyond your remit, to be fair – whether the whole notion of the pecking order applies to all types of bird, or just chickens.”

Good question. How do actual pecking orders work? One of those oft-unanswered questions, like what actually happens “after the Lord Mayor’s Show”, or “Is Dr Hook a medical doctor?”

On other channels … Emillia Hawkins is on top of today’s Women’s Super League action, with Manchester United zipping into a two-goal lead against Leicester. Dip in here:

“I completely agree with you that this season’s FA Cup is wide open,” writes Rick Harris, jinxing us towards another Manchester derby final. “Manchester City made hard work of getting past Plymouth yesterday and may have their typical luck of the draw again and get Preston at home, but I wouldn’t see them as favourites as Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and even Manchester United would fancy their chances against the PL champions. Eddie Howe is clearly taking this game very seriously with his team selection and Brighton too have to see this competition as there for the taking.”

Yup, am excited by both those lineups.

Team news

Preamble