Three things learned about Newcastle in Brighton draw: Benitez must recall one man after dour display
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