Newport v Brighton predictions: free betting tips and where to watch

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for the FA Cup third-round tie between Newport County and Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 7.45pm Sunday

Best bet

Half-time draw
1pt 7-5 general

Team news

Newport
Loan stars Brandon Cooper and top scorer Scott Twine have returned to their clubs.

Brighton
Tariq Lamptey, Danny Welbeck and Aaron Connolly are out. Adam Lallana and Steven Alzate are unlikely to be involved.

Match preview

It's no surprise that BT Sport fancied a trip to Rodney Parade this weekend as Premier League Brighton are on a hiding to nothing against League Two highflyers Newport County.

Plenty of punters have labelled this as a potential upset and while Albion are three divisions above their hosts, there's no appetite to get stuck into the visitors at a skinny price.

One win in their last 16 games and none in the last eight says it all about Graham Potter's back-pedallers.

Newport boast an FA Cup pedigree with Leeds, Middlesbrough and Leicester among their recent victims while they held mighty Spurs to a draw, and while they are without a win in four games themselves they will be feisty on a pitch that could be testing following a rugby match 24 hours earlier.

The draw, given the pitch may not be great, looks a runner, and the half-time draw may be an even better bet. Seven of Newport's nine home League Two skirmishes this term have been all-square at the break.

Brighton have drawn eight of their last 13 matches, but they have lost only three of their last 16 on the road.

Potter has another pair of road trips to come in the following six days – at Manchester City and Leeds – so he will have to give one or two of his key men the night off which arguably leaves them even more vulnerable.

It should be competitive because Newport are always that and they know that they can ruffle feathers under Mike Flynn.

They have trailed at half-time in only one of their last 16 home FA Cup ties and can be holding their own at the break once again.

Key stat

Eighty-three per cent of goals in Newport's last 12 home FA Cup ties have been scored in the second half (26-5).

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