The Premier League remained silent on the controversial incident during the Newcastle vs Brighton match, while Yankuba Minteh was notably absent from Brighton’s squad. The Gambia international’s omission was due to a minor injury sustained during international duty, leaving fans and analysts puzzled by his absence despite his strong start at the club.
Premier League Silent on Newcastle-Brighton Controversy
Lewis Hall fell near the edge of the box under pressure from Joel Veltman, with the ball seemingly bouncing off Veltman’s arm as he tried to get up. VAR reviewed the play for a possible handball and penalty for Newcastle, but no call was made.
The Premier League Match Centre, which offers live explanations for VAR decisions, chose not to comment on the decision.
Following that, Brighton took an unexpected lead through Danny Welbeck, with the striker scoring to put Newcastle behind 1-0 as the first half came to a close.
The Magpies now find themselves on the brink of a fourth consecutive Premier League match without a win, having secured just two points from their last three games leading up to their clash with Brighton. This poor run of form has put significant pressure on Eddie Howe’s side, who have struggled to find consistency. Despite this, Newcastle’s home record remains relatively strong in 2024, with only one defeat at St James’ Park this year. That lone loss came in January when Manchester City snatched a 3-2 victory in stoppage time, leaving the Magpies with a bitter reminder of their inability to close out matches.
Why Yankuba Minteh Is Absent for Brighton vs Newcastle
Newcastle unwillingly sold the 20-year-old winger to Brighton this summer in a £30 million deal, helping to improve the Magpies’ PSR status.
As a result, the Gambia international departed Newcastle without making an appearance, having been swiftly loaned to Eredivisie club Feyenoord for the 2023/24 season after joining the Magpies.
Following a standout season in the Netherlands, Minteh secured a move to Brighton and has had an excellent start to his Seagulls career, scoring his first goal for the club in the 3-2 victory over Tottenham before the October international break.
Yankuba Minteh Absent from Brighton’s Squad
It was unexpected, therefore, that Minteh was missing from the Brighton lineup announced at St James’ Park on Saturday afternoon.
The former Magpie was absent from Fabian Hurzeler’s bench, with his exclusion attributed to a ‘minor injury’ sustained during international duty with Gambia, according to SussexWorld.
Minteh featured in both of Gambia’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Madagascar this month, scoring in the first match and providing an assist in the second, where he came on as a substitute eight minutes before the end.
Eddie Howe Discusses Yankuba Minteh’s Sale
Newcastle likely could have used Minteh this season, with Eddie Howe admitting in his pre-Brighton press conference that selling the talented young player was painful but necessary.
“In my opinion, it was absolutely the right thing to do,” he said. “But it still hurts to have done it. We had no other option. No matter what the narrative is in the future, regardless of how Elliot [Anderson] or Yankuba does, it’s still the right thing to do for the benefit of Newcastle.
“We couldn’t breach PSR. We couldn’t face a points deduction. The only two deals on the table at the time were the two deals that we did.
“We didn’t want to sell Yankuba at all. We believed in his potential, and everything about his profile fit what we needed. But we had to make a decision based on finances.”
Never Miss a Match! Download our app and keep up with daily football news and updates wherever you are.
Install App
