Newport v Brighton free betting tips - 10.Jan.2021 19:45
A mouth-watering tie on Sunday pits regular cup giantkillers Newport against Premier League strugglers Brighton, says Ian Lamont, who senses a 90 minute draw and penalties…
” City’s recent resurgence hasn’t coincided with an opening of the scoring floodgates – they have found the net more than twice in just one of their last 12 league games.”
BTTS @ 1.76
Newport Form
Newport have a huge reputation for cup giant killings in recent years, having reached the fourth round of the FA Cup in two of the past three seasons, emphasise Opta. Few can have failed to hear about the exploits of the Welsh side.
Sadly for them, it has meant some of their best players leaving for higher level clubs rather than translated into promotion of their own, but they do go into this match having led League Two for several months until the New Year, when Carlisle United went top.
The manager who has overseen all the cup glories mentioned above is Michael Flynn, who pulled Newport out of the relegation mire at the back end of the 2016-17 season. He faces a few headaches going into this weekend though.
Loan defender Brandon Cooper, 20, has been recalled by Swansea. Just as bad at the other end of the field, Scott Twine, 19, has been recalled by League One strugglers Swindon after a fine half-season in which he has scored seven and contributed seven assists. His immediate replacement, West Brom’s Owen Windsor, has already spent time on loan at Grimsby and is cup tied.
For whatever reason Flynn has been saving Padraig Amond, the striker’s time is surely now. The Irishman, 32, has made as many league appearances off the bench (nine) as in the starting XI this season, but started three of the four League Cup ties, plus began EFL Trophy matches. In last season’s shortened campaign, he’d started 32 games in all competitions and made 10 substitute appearances. Twine had been allowed to flourish alongside Tristan Abrahams.
Amond has still tucked in a few key goals though, including one, as a substitute, to help see off Salford City in the last round. It was a penalty, which Matt Dolan, Josh Sheehan and Abrahams are all also capable of taking.
Brighton Form
The Seagulls have not had a great string of results recently, winning two and drawing eight of their 17 Premier League matches, leaving them fourth from bottom. Therefore could they go the way of Leeds (then of the Championship), Leicester and Middlesbrough (in a replay) by losing at Valley Parade, or even be held to a draw over 90 minutes like Tottenham. Millwall beat the Exiles last season in London, while Manchester City shook off their challenge in a previous year with a 4-1 win in Wales. Newport have also beaten Swansea and Watford in the League Cup this season and only lost on penalties to Newcastle – all at home.
Brighton have a potent weapon in Frenchman Neal Maupay, who has netted six times this season – and 10 last – at a level three times higher than Newport. Unlike some clubs who have ended higher than Brighton’s bottom six placings in their three finished Premier League seasons, the Seagulls don’t seem to have shied away from a cup run. A battling 3-3 draw at home to Wolves last Saturday, from 3-1 down at half-time, showed their fighting spirit.
The visitors should have the quality to win, of course, but so did several other opponents who have fallen at Valley Parade. Potter’s team might not be feeling especially confident about Premier League matches. But they will surely see this as a chance to cement or push for regular places, although Danny Welbeck is ruled out through injury. It is a chance for some to continue to show what they can do, for example Ben White at the right of a defensive three. Adam Lallana misses out through illness and who knows if highly rated and coveted Yves Bissouma will be risked from the start?
Newport v Brighton betting tip
With the above in mind, and “both teams to score” under events, the layers clearly think that Newport, as the underdogs, can score, as well as Brighton. As the Exiles have won seven at home in the league and drawn one, losing just once, it seems fair enough.
PREDICTION
BTTS
ODD: 1.76
H2H COMPARISON
Newport - Brighton
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