The brilliant Dan Burn moment as Newcastle United edge closer to Champions League football

Newcastle United's Dan Burn celebrated wildly after scoring against his former club – and even Brighton and Hove Albion fans will have understood his emotions.

After all, the Blyth-born defender's first Premier League goal for his boyhood team had edged the club closer to the Champions League, the competition he used to watch as a boy from the East Stand.

In the end, Newcastle comfortably beat Brighton 4-1 thanks to a Burn's first-half header, an early own goal from Deniz Undav – and dramatic late strikes from Callum Wilson and Bruno Guimaraes.

United – who lost Joe Willock to what looked to be a season-ending injury – were unstoppable with the ball at times, but they also showed the resilience which has taken them so far under Eddie Howe during some tough second-half moments.

And one win from the club's final two games, against Leicester City and Chelsea, will be enough to secure a return to the Champions League after an absence of almost two decades.

Howe had named an unchanged starting XI, with Alexander Isak again on the left side of United’s attack. Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi, meanwhile, named World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister on the bench.

Newcastle took the game to their visitors in the early stages. Brighton barely left the half, and defender Fabian Schar drilled a 25-yard free-kick straight at former Sunderland goalkeeper Jason Steele in the seventh minute.

Howe’s side pressed on, and they got their breakthrough in the 22nd minute. Undav, stood at the near post, flicked a Kieran Trippier corner into his own net to lift the roof at St James’ Park.

Wilson had a penalty appeal waved away after he went down in the box after being challenged by Lewis Dunk.

United were relentless, and they pushed for a second goal before the half-time break. Their pressure finally told in added time, when Burn – who had shot wide earlier in the half – headed a Trippier free-kick, which was conceded by Undav, past Steele.

Burn ran to the corner to celebrate the strike against the team he served for four years.

Newcastle pushed for a third after after the break, and Almiron forced a good save from Steele after Willock flicked a ball from Burn to him. A follow-up effort landed on the roof of the net.

Seconds later, Brighton had pulled a goal back from Undav following a quick break forward which saw Billy Gilmour play a ball through the middle.

De Zerbi sent on Mac Allister, Evan Ferguson and Julio Enciso as the hour-mark approached, and the half was a very different contest.

Brighton were a threat whenever they crossed the halfway line, and the loss of Willock to what looked like a hamstring injury did not help. The midfielder was replaced by Elliot Anderson.

Newcastle had their moments, but the half was uncomfortable viewing at times

United fans roared the team on in the final few minutes, and Wilson and Guimaraes scored two late goals.

Almiron won the ball deep in his own half before powering upfield and passing to Wilson, who beat the offside trap and scored.

And Wilson set up Guimaraes seconds after the restart.

NEWCASTLE UNITED: Pope; Trippier (Manquillo, 90), Schar, Botman, Burn; Joelinton (Targett, 90), Guimaraes, Willock (Anderson, 61); Almiron (Saint-Maximin, 90), Wilson, Isak (Gordon, 90). Subs not used: Dubravka, Dummett, Lewis, L Miley.