EPL: Newcastle 0-0 Brighton
Australia international keeper Mat Ryan joined Brighton from Valencia last summer, and has been an ever-present in the Premier League
Newcastle and Brighton shared the spoils as they played out an uninspiring 0-0 draw in the Premier League at St James' Park.
Rafa Benitez made seven changes to his side following criticism in midweek for resting some of his usually key men against Manchester City.
But the returning players failed to have the desired impact in a scrappy contest, although Newcastle shaded the efforts and were denied some early second-half opportunities by Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan.
The first half lacked in quality, but Newcastle had opportunities to break the deadlock. Isaac Hayden made a superb run down the right flank in the 13th minute before whipping the ball into the box, but his delivery evaded the heads of Dwight Gayle and Christian Atsu with Bruno sending the ball away.
Nine minutes later and Ryan was eventually tested as Mikel Merino's brilliant long ball picked out the run of Gayle on the right. He latched onto the pass before getting to the by-line and cutting the ball back into the middle, but the hand of Ryan kept it from reaching another Newcastle player before pouncing on the rebound ahead of the waiting Joselu.
Karl Darlow also got a rare hold of the ball in the 27th minute as Brighton had a spell of pressure around the box. Pascal Gross sped away down the right-hand side before hitting a low cross into the box, but Matt Ritchie's attempted clearance could only fall to Anthony Knockaert at the top of the area. However, his strike was straight at the Newcastle stopper.
Newcastle began the second half well, but were once again denied by some heroics from Ryan. Five minutes after the restart and a cleared corner fell to Hayden at the top of the box, with his scuffed shot taking a big deflection off the leg of Dunk to send it goalwards. Ryan then leapt into action to spare the blushes of his team-mate and push away the ball.
The Brighton goalkeeper was called into action again in the 59th minute as Atsu picked out Gayle in between the two Seagulls centre-backs. The forward glanced his delivery towards goal, but Ryan made another leaping save to deny him the opener.
In a similar story to the first half, Brighton also tested Darlow 10 minutes later. Shane Duffy met a Gross corner at the back post, nodding it down for Dunk in the middle, but his own headed effort was palmed away by the Newcastle goalkeeper.