COMMENT

Newcastle United were held to a 0-0 draw by Brighton in their home clash on Saturday.

In a game lacking in chances at either end of the pitch, the Magpies found themselves having to settle for a point after the Seagulls' goalkeeper Mat Ryan pulled off some impressive saves.

The Magpies came into the clash off the back of a narrow 1-0 defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday, condemning the club to their ninth defeat in 11 games.

It was a result which left the club sitting just a point above the relegation zone in 15th, while a further three points adrift of Chris Hughton and his men ahead of kick off on Tyneside, and it remained that way with the points being shared.

So what can fans take away from the clash at the St James' Park?

Here, Football Insider analyses three things learned in Saturday's match against the Seagulls, including one man who must return to the starting XI in the near future.

Click below to see the first thing we learned in Newcastle United's clash v Brighton

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Magpies suffer slow start

It is fair to say that those turning up late to St James' Park missed very little in the opening minutes, and it remained that way for the rest of the first half.

It was bereft of attacking threat from either side, and fans would have been hoping for more action to make braving the Tyneside cold worth it.

Newcastle have struggled to make an impact in the opening 45 minutes in recent games and that could prove costly going forward, as they leave their opposition the opportunity to find a way to take the lead.

Not losing is obviously important, but the Magpies need to secure three points to ensure their Premier League safety, and the slow starts are not helping their cause.

Click below to see the second thing we learned in Newcastle United's clash v Brighton

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Wing wizards lack cutting edge

Despite having both been rested against Manchester City, first choice wingers Christian Atsu and Matt Ritchie struggled to have any impact against the Seagulls.

They saw plenty of the ball on either flank but their end product was lacking, managing to muster up barely a handful of goal scoring opportunities for their team mates.

The duo did create the odd opportunity, Atsu for Gayle in the second half and Ritchie from a couple of corners, but they were few and far between, considering they are meant to be the club's creative outlets.

The Toon Army, as well as Rafa Benitez, would have been expecting much more from the pair, and with Jacob Murphy and Rolando Aarons waiting in the wings, the manager has a tough decision on his hands for future team selections.

Click below to see the third thing we learned in Newcastle United's clash v Brighton

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Shelvey recall a must

Newcastle were lacking creativity from the kick off, and it all stems down to the absence of Jonjo Shelvey in the centre of the park.

His vision from midfield is a step above anyone else on Tyneside, and the side are evidently bereft of ideas when he does not play.

The Magpies may well be overly reliant on his distribution, plus he has proven himself to be a liability this season, but they cannot afford to be without him starting games.

With what may well be dubbed a must win clash against Stoke City on new year's day, Benitez has got to recall him to the starting XI if he wants to see a positive performance.

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