Brighton stays in EPL with draw against Newcastle

Brighton’s Dale Stephens, left, fights for the ball with Newcastle’s Jonjo Shelvey during the English Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Newcastle United at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, England, Monday, July 20, 2020. (Mike Hewitt/Pool via AP)

BRIGHTON, England — Brighton did just enough to confirm its place in the English Premier League for next season by drawing at home to Newcastle 0-0 on Monday.

Brighton earned a point to move past West Ham and into 15th place, seven points clear of 18th-placed Aston Villa, which has two games left to play. That’s enough to ensure Brighton stays in the top division for a fourth season since promotion in 2017.

Leandro Trossard and Adam Webster had some of the better of Brighton’s few chances, with both saved by Newcastle goalkeeper Martin Dubravka.

Substitute Andy Carroll could have won the game for Newcastle, but he headed wide from close range in the final minutes.

The draw was the fifth game in a row without a win for Newcastle, which had been targeting a finish in the top half of the Premier League before its recent slump. The decline has been accompanied by injuries and uncertainty over whether the club will be taken over by a Saudi Arabian consortium.