Brighton v Newcastle: Danny Welbeck gets better with age

Fabian Hurzeler had a confession to make.

Danny Welbeck may have won the game for his side with a dramatic late winner against Newcastle United.

But the Brighton manager had been planning to take the match-winner off before he scored his second goal.

"It's important to be honest and that was the case," he said after Welbeck bagged both goals in his side's 2-1 victory at the Amex.

"I was thinking of taking him off and then he surprised me again. Credit to him. Sometimes it's about timing in life - and that was good timing."

Welbeck may turn 35 next month, but the striker does not look like a player entering his twilight years.

In fact, Welbeck has scored more Premier League goals per game in his thirties (0.36) than he did in his twenties or teens.

After enjoying his best goalscoring campaign in the top flight last year, Welbeck has gone on to score doubles against both Newcastle and Chelsea in recent weeks.

"I have the passion and love for football," he told Match of the Day. "It's what I want to do. I feel good. I feel strong and fit so I won't be stopping soon."

No wonder Welbeck went home with the player of the match award.

Not only did he open the scoring on Saturday by lifting the ball over Nick Pope, he scored what proved to be a decisive second late on.

Just as Newcastle were pushing for a winner - Nick Woltemade had cancelled out Welbeck's opener with a superb back-heeled equaliser - the 34-year-old popped up in the right place at the right time to sweep the ball home from the edge of the area.

This was an instance where his experience told as he pounced after Mats Wieffer's initial effort was blocked by Dan Burn.

"There's always that possibility the ball can fall your way," Welbeck said. "I was wondering if it could fall nicely for me and it did and I stuck it away."

Welbeck has made a habit of scoring big goals.

Eleven of his last 12 Premier League goals for Brighton have either put his side ahead (eight) or drawn the game level (three).

This was a fifth winning goal in the run against a Newcastle side who had the joint-best defensive record in the top flight before the trip to the Amex.

Yet Welbeck has found a way to hurt Newcastle time and time again in the last 12 months.

Newcastle needed no reminding, of course.

Welbeck scored what proved to be the winner against them in the reverse fixture in the league last October and also bagged the goal that knocked Eddie Howe's team out of the FA Cup at St James' Park last March.

Even Howe could not help but hold his hands up.

"You have to give him a lot of credit for the two goals he scored today, especially the first one," he said.

"Because that's not easy to run away from our backline and have the composure to finish past Nick, who had been in great form and made a couple of good saves in the first half.

"For him to still be playing in the way that he is, is a credit to him."

So how does Welbeck do it?

This is a player who previously had well-documented injury issues in years gone by, but he has shown he can thrive in the demands of Hurzeler's system.

For context, no other side have forced more high turnovers in the Premier League this season than Brighton.

As much as forwards have to deliver in front of goal, under Hurzeler, they also have to work tirelessly without the ball.

And Hurzeler was keen to highlight how Welbeck led from the front in that regard with his "recovery runs" against Newcastle.

"He's a top professional," he said. "Before and after training, he always tries to be prepared. He does a good recovery.

"Every training session, he goes 100%. He never tries to rest. That's the main thing and, on top of that, if you have a good personality and lead by behaviour and performance, that's the main thing how to describe Danny Welbeck.

"He's always there. He's not a selfish personality – he's always there for his team-mates."

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