Eddie Howe makes bold admission following Newcastle United's 2-1 win over Brighton

Early goals from Ryan Fraser and Fabian Schar put United into an early two goal lead before Lewis Dunk pulled a goal back in the second half.

Newcastle were able to hold on for a fifth win in six matches to stretch their Premier League unbeaten run to eight matches.

The run has seen The Magpies fly to 14th in the table, but Howe is keeping his feet on the ground with 12 games remaining.

"In terms of result, it's absolutely fantastic for us,” Howe told Sky Sports. “We said pre-game nothing has changed and that we are still in a relegation fight. We still are.

“I have a lot of respect for Brighton. They are a tough opponent. We knew we would be tactically tested.

“We showed mental toughness especially at 2-1. When they scored the game was very much in the balance but we handled it well. We defended well and put our bodies on the line and did the nasty stuff really well.

“We have got a lot of work to do to be where we want to be. I am very realistic and I know how quickly football can change.”

On the supporters, Howe added: "The supporters have been unbelievable. Today, we needed them to help us over the line. I cannot thank them enough."

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