Evan Ferguson hat-trick sees Brighton & Hove Albion thump sorry Newcastle United

Bouncing back from last weekend's loss to West Ham United with aplomb, Roberto De Zerbi's men put on a show for new signings Ansu Fati and Carlos Baleba, as Ferguson's stock rose even higher with a spectacular treble on the South Coast.

Callum Wilson did pull one back for Eddie Howe's team in the dying embers, but it was a truly forgettable day for the travelling Magpies contingent, whose 345-mile journey was in vain as their side produced an apathetic display to slump to a third defeat in a row.

While there were no goals to write about in the early exchanges, the tie lived up to the pre-match billing as both sides strived to get forward at the first opportunity, but it was Brighton who were making the biggest impact in the final third.

With just 10 minutes gone, a Solly March cross deflected off Matt Targett - in for the absent Sven Botman - and struck the post before going behind, while Bart Verbruggen was called upon to beat away a deflected Miguel Almiron strike six minutes later.

Brighton's early pressure would eventually pay off in the 27th minute, although they were helped by a comedy of errors from Nick Pope, who firstly saw a poor clearance intercepted by Pervis Estupinan.

The Ecuadorian found Kaoru Mitoma on the overlap, and while Pope kept out the Japanese attacker's strike with his foot, the ball found its way to Billy Gilmour on the edge of the box, and his venomous strike proved too hot for the Magpies keeper to handle.

Having spilled Gilmour's strike into a dangerous area, Pope was powerless to prevent an alert Ferguson breaking the deadlock from a few yards out, and the Irish protege continued to terrorise the Magpies' defence in the second half.

Howe's men continued to show few signs of life in the attacking third, and Ferguson doubled his tally for the day with 65 minutes gone, curling home a sumptuous effort into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.

Only five minutes later, Ferguson joined Erling Haaland and Son Heung-min in the Saturday hat-trick club, although he was helped by a huge slice of luck, as his strike took a wicked deflection off Dan Burn and left Pope rooted to the spot.

Ferguson's treble saw him become just the fourth player to score a Premier League hat-trick aged 18 or under, joining Robbie Fowler, Michael Owen and Chris Bart-Williams in that exclusive club, and he received a standing ovation as he made way for Adam Lallana in the 81st minute.

With the clock winding down in added time, substitute Wilson got the beating of Jan Paul van Hecke and found the bottom corner from close range, but there was to be no improbable comeback from the beleaguered visitors.

Brighton find themselves fourth in the table thanks to Saturday's thumping win and are next in action away to Manchester United in two weeks time, while the 14th-placed Magpies host Brentford on September 17 following the international hiatus.