Danny Welbeck’s goal secured a 1-0 victory for Brighton at St James’ Park, but one notable absentee for The Seagulls was Yankuba Minteh. The 20-year-old winger, who joined Brighton from Newcastle for £33 million in June without making a first-team appearance for the Magpies, missed the match due to an injury.
Minteh, who scored in Brighton’s 3-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur before the international break, was unavailable for the trip to Newcastle following his involvement with the Gambia national team. He played twice against Madagascar, scoring a stoppage-time equalizer in the first match but picking up a knock that saw him substituted during their 1-0 victory on Monday.
Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler explained after the match that Minteh needed time to recover. “We had to manage some issues with him returning from international duty with a small injury,” Hürzeler said. “We have a responsibility to care for our players and ensure their availability moving forward.”
Newcastle head coach Eddie Howe was asked about the sale of Minteh ahead of the match and expressed mixed feelings. “In my opinion, it was absolutely the right decision, but it still hurts,” Howe said. “We didn’t have any other option. Regardless of how Elliot or Yankuba perform, the move was necessary to protect the club from breaching financial regulations and risking a points deduction.”
Howe added: “Had he stayed with us, the plan would have been to integrate him into the squad. His pace, power, and excellent left foot would have been a great asset. We know his strengths well and were prepared to defend against them.”
Though Minteh didn’t feature in the match, Newcastle still suffered their first home defeat of the season, extending their winless run to four Premier League games under Eddie Howe.
Add Comment