Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the top-of-the-table clash in the Championship between Brighton & Hove Albion and Newcastle United.

There's every expectancy that tonight's fixture will be one taking place in the Premier League next season but for now, the two teams must to battle to secure the right to call themselves a top-flight side as they scrap over top spot in the Championship. Brighton currently lead the way by a point but that could change over the 90 minutes of football which are coming up.

Before we crack on with the team news, let me turn into Michael Fish for a moment and bring you a weather update. As you may have experienced, it's been rather wet up and down the country today and a number of Football League matches have fallen foul of the weather. However, there's no such problems at The Amex and we will be ready to go at the scheduled kickoff time of 7.45pm, GMT.

Anyway, without further ado, let me bring you details of both sides, starting with Brighton...

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION XI: Stockdale; Bruno, Duffy, Dunk, Pocognoli; Knockaert, Stephens, Sidwell, Murphy; Baldock, Murray

BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION SUBSTITUTIONS: Walton, Huenemeier, Tomori, Kayal, March, Hemed, Akpom

NEWCASTLE UNITED XI: Darlow, Yedlin, Lascelles, Clark, Dummett, Colback, Shelvey, Ritchie, Diame, Atsu, Gouffran

NEWCASTLE UNITED SUBSTITUTES: Elliot, Hanley, Anita, Gamez, Perez, Murphy, Mitrovic

After their 3-0 victory over Reading, it comes as no surprise that Chris Hughton names an unchanged starting lineup for the visit of the Magpies. The one worry they had revolved around the fitness of Sebastian Pocognoli but he has been passed fit. Sam Baldock and Glenn Murray are preferred to Tomer Hemed and Chuba Akpom in attack.

As for Newcastle, Benitez has made two alterations to the team which could only draw with Bristol City. Mohamed Diame and Yoan Gouffran are the players to come into the team, with Aleksandar Mitrovic and Ayoze Perez dropping down to the substitutes' bench. It was revaled yesterday that Dwight Gayle had been left out in order to continue his recovery from an hamstring injury.

HEAD TO HEAD! Tonight's fixture represents just the 20th time in which these two sides have faced each other in a competitive match, with both clubs claiming eight victories apiece. There have been just four matches since 1992, with Brighton winning twice in the FA Cup and Newcastle triumphing earlier this season at St James' Park.

The reverse contest took place in August, so neither side were really aware that they would end up in their current position in the Championship. It was relatively one-way traffic with Jamaal Lascelles and Jonjo Shelvey getting the goals for Newcastle but when the score was at 1-0, Sam Baldock was dismissed for a second yellow card. He will be eager to make amends this evening!

Talking of Baldock, he's one of the form players who take to the pitch for this game. He may only have 11 goals to his name this season but four of those have come since February 11. He's also scored in three of his last four appearances at The Amex, taking his recent tally to five goals from seven outings. Newcastle are usually tough to break down at the back but they could have their hands full with the 27-year-old.

We mentioned in our introduction that both teams are in decent form in 2017 but they only sit in fifth and sixth-place respectively in our form table. The clubs also possess the two best defences in the division, as well as the first and third best attacks. Basically, these are the best two sides at the second tier and we should see a high-quality game!

The surprise call made by Benitez is the inclusion of Gouffran over Mitrovic. The Serbain forward has his faults but in many people's opinion, he was a certain starter tonight. Instead, Gouffran gets the chance to impress but he has only scored twice since the middle of December. Only one of his seven goals this season have come away from home, with that effort coming all the way back in September. It's bold from the Spaniard, but maybe he didn't trust the temperamental Mitrovic in such a big game.

We can't go through this build-up with looking back at Hughton's time at Newcastle. In his first season in charge, he guided the Magpies to a record-breaking promotion campaign and when he left the club, somewhat harshly, in December 2010, he has won 39 of his 70 matches in charge. He's got an equally excellent record with Brighton, with 56 victories coming from 113 matches. Makes you wonder why he hasn't earned more time in the Premier League, doesn't it?

PREDICTION! We are going to sit on the fence for this one! Brighton are very strong at home but Newcastle have shown throughout the season that they are perfectly capable of grinding our results on the road. We are going to predict that Brighton will make all of the running but Mitrovic to earn Newcastle a late point.

Here come the two teams to an electric atmosphere at The Amex. This is such a big match, perhaps in the top five in Brighton's history? They wouldn't be guaranteed promotion with a win here - far from it - but it would take them nine points clear of third place.

It's Brighton who get us underway.

It's been a relatively quiet start at The Amex. Brighton have had most of the possession and Bruno has come out on top in a tussle with Diame. Aside from that, not a lot is happening.

Still all Brighton and a cross into the penalty area almost finds the head of Murray, but the delivery is just too high for the club's top goalscorer.

SHOT! He may not have scored a goal this season but that doesn't stop Bruno letting fly with a stunning first-time volley from the edge of the area. Darlow does well to punch the ball clear.

This has been a five-star start from Brighton. They are playing with a swagger and Newcastle aren't getting near them. A long ball over the top finds Baldock but he's unable to bring the ball down and Newcastle survive.

CHANCE! Brighton nearly open the scoring with the best free-kick routine you have seen all season. A teammate flicks the ball to Knockaert, who volleys the ball over the wall to Baldock, but his miscued volley is tipped over the bar by Baldock.

Drama at The Amex! From the resulting corner, Clark is adjudged to have pulled down Murray - who appears to be giving as good as he gets - and it's a spot kick for Brighton. Murray gets to his feet and makes no mistake, sending Darlow the wrong way.

SUBSTITUTION! Brighton are being forced into a change with Pocognoli being forced off with the injury that made him a doubt for this game. Fikayo Tomori - on loan from Chelsea - is on for just his third appearance in the Championship.

WOODWORK! Out of nothing, Newcastle nearly equalise! Ritchie attempts a cross but it's over-hit and it clips the top of the crossbar.

Atsu gets the better of Tomori far too easily and he's able to progress into the penalty area. However, his cutback is well intercepted by a Brighton defender and they are able to clear. Newcastle having a bit more joy now.

Brighton have failed to build on their extremely bright start. They are effectively playing on the break now, with Colback and Shelvey pulling the strings in the middle. Shelvey has been particularly lively. We haven't seen much of Gouffran in attack.

SHOT! Well that would have been embarrassing. Gouffran picks up the ball around 35 yards out, advances towards goal and forces a solid stop out of Stockdale, who does well to hold onto the ball at the first attempt.

Newcastle are having success every time they break down the right. Without sounding harsh, Tomori doesn't look ready for the Championship football. Atsu looks to curl the ball into the far corner but his effort is deflected over the head of Diame and out for a corner.

SHOT! Brighton finally get back onto the front foot and put together a move which involves Murphy setting up Stephens to shoot from 30 yards but his effort is deflected into the hands of Darlow.

BOOKING! A long ball from the centre of the park is intended for Murray but Yedlin gets across to foul the striker. It's blatant, but definitely no more than a yellow.

BOOKING! Knockaert quickly follows Yedlin in receiving a yellow card. It's given for handball but the Brighton player is unlucky because it hit his arm after glancing off his head.

As we approach half time, this game is starting to get scrappy - your typical Football League fixture, if you like! Neither side will want to concede this close to the break.

SAVE! This would have been a worldie from Murray. A free kick is only headed into the path of the striker but his volley is superbly saved by Darlow.

There will be two minutes of added-on time.

SHOT! Stockdale has to keep his focus here as Ritchie sends a devilish cross-shot towards the top corner but the goalkeeper does well to punch the ball to safety with Newcastle players lining up for the rebound.

The half-time whistle goes at The Amex and we nearly ended it with a goal for Newcastle. Yedlin's cross to Atsu was perfect but the winger's first-time shot from 14 yards was too close to Stockdale and he was again able to punch clear. Great half of football. Scrappy at times, but highly competitive.

Newcastle get us back underway.

CHANCE! Brighton come close to a second! Benitez would have been fuming. A free kick was sent towards the back post and Dunk got above Darlow and headed the ball on goal. However, Dummett was there to make the clearance. How important could that be?

CHANCE! Newcastle responded to that early chance but Brighton went straight back onto the offensive and after being found by Baldock, Knockaert forced a sharp stop out of Darlow after he had switched the ball onto his left foot.

The visitors are attempting to restore a bit of calm to proceedings before Brighton come closer to finding a second. I really don't blame them. It can't be long until we see Mitrovic on the pitch.

CHANCE! What is Stockdale thinking?! He has the ball at his feet and plays it straight to Gouffran who is standing no more than 10 yards away from him. However, the goalkeeper redeems himself by staying big to stop the Frenchman from scoring, which he should do with no Brighton defenders around him.

BOOKING! This is a naughty one from Duffy, who goes in studs-high on Shelvey. He's extremely fortunate he only makes minimal contact with the midfielder.

SHOT! Despite being 30 yards out, Shelvey takes the shot on but Stockdale does well to get down to his left and claim the ball.

I'm really surprised that we remain at 1-0. Both sides have had numerous chances but both Stockdale and Darlow have been on fine form this evening.

Still no signs of any more changes at a time when the chances seem to have dried up. There's no sign of Brighton settling for just the one goal, though. They are looking to involve Knockaert and Baldock at every given opportunity.

This surely has to be a penalty or a dive by Murray. He goes down under the attentions of Lascelles and Yedlin but there is very little contact. For me, it's a yellow card for the striker but the referee does nothing.

Brighton are less than 20 minutes from moving four points clear at the top of the Championship table. It's starting to get a little nervy! They enjoy a prolonged attack in the final third on this occasion but Murphy shoots over from 25 yards.

SUBSTITUTION! This is an interesting one. Benitez opts for Daryl Murphy over Mitrovic, and he takes the place of Colback.

CHANCE! Newcastle win a corner after good work from Atsu and Ritchie's delivery finds Murphy all on his own by the penalty spot. However, he can't get enough power on his header and it goes straight at Stockdale.

Newcastle have just scored the flukiest goal in the history of football. I'm not kidding. Atsu's mis-hit volley deflected off a teammate into the path of Diame, who barely moved with the ball flicking off his boot, going over Stockdale and over the defender's head on the line. It's absolutely incredible.

SHOT! Newcastle are the better team now but they are struggling to create that one more chance which might make the difference. Murphy has just blazed over from 25 yards.

Unbelievable! Newcastle are ahead! This goal has far more class about it, however. A cross-field ball from Ritchie finds Atsu on the left and after biding his time, he supplies low cross for Perez to convert into the corner from eight yards. They are going two points clear!

There will be four minutes of added-on time.

The full-time whistle goes at The Amex and Newcastle have stunned Brighton with a turnaround which could make all the difference in the title race. Brighton were going four points clear until Diame and Perex struck and Newcastle now head the division by two points. What a game.

That will be all from Sports Mole for this game. Thank you for joining us this evening and we hope to see you again soon. Goodbye for now.