Albion went back to fourth Premier League after a resounding victory – teenage striker Evan Ferguson became Albion’s youngest ever hat-trick hero – he joins Gordon Smith and Leandro Trossard on the list of players who have scored top flight hat- tricks for Albion and not only the youngest ever but also the youngest since Adrian Thorne way back in 1957
Ferguson first effort fell kindly to him after a stinging Billy Gilmour shot that Nick Pope couldn’t hold.
Albion keeper Bart Verbruggen had to get down smartly to his right as Anthony Gordon’s shot ricocheted off Lewis Dunk’s knee.
Although Newcastle had dominated possession early on and had used the press to some effect, Albion were coping and nullifying it with some – Pervis Estupinan and Gilmour were Vanbruggen’s most effective and willing outlets.
The Seagulls had a series of corners before half time and went in with a goal advantage at the break.
The Seagulls second on 65 minutes saw Gilmour involved again as he slotted the ball to Ferguson who smashed an effort past Pope from 20 yards – an incredible effort from a lad not 19 until October.
Albion’s and Ferguson’s third came after great play from Kaoru Mitoma who found Ferguson whose shot took a huge deflection off Fabian Schar and complete wrongfooted the hapless Pope.
Substiute Callum Wilson got a late consolation for Newcastle – just before Mitoma came agonisingly close to a fourth for the Seagulls.
The result lifts Albion to fourth place, with nine points from four games. Newcastle occupy 14th spot with just three points from their four first four matches, losing three on the trot.
De Zerbi praised Ferguson, saying: “His improvement is important for him, for us, for his career – because he’s working to complete his qualities, not only score, because he can become big, big, big.
“His qualities are enough to become a great player, one of the top scorers in Europe.
“I’m really delighted today but not for the goals. Ok, with his goals we can be happy now because we won the game.
“But I’m really pleased for the performance, especially in the first half. He played very well, he found the right position between the lines.
“Newcastle defended 4-4-1-1 and with 4-4 there is the open space to receive the ball for the striker. He understood very well that position.”
With the summer transfer window having closed yesterday (Friday 1 September), the Seagulls are not in imminent danger of Ferguson being poached by a bigger club.
But De Zerbi showed no concern about the eventual prospect, saying: “It’s normal for Brighton to sell players.
“The most important thing for Brighton is not to keep the most important players but to find their replacement. This is the right work we have to do.”
Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella and Robert Sanchez have gone to Chelsea, Ben White and Leandro Trossard to Arsenal, Alexis Mac Allister to Liverpool, Yves Bissouma to Spurs and Dan Burn to Newcastle.
Those eight transfers have grossed more than £300 million over the past couple of seasons and still the Seagulls are soaring.
He was speaking, of course, days after the club brought in another wonderkid, 20-year-old Ansu Fati, on loan from Barcelona.
Next for Albion in the Premier League a very vulnerable Manchester United at Old Trafford next Sarurday (16 September).
Next at the Amex – AEK Athens in the UEFA Europa League Group B. If you had even joked about that 12 years ago, they would have locked
