The Magpies were looking to make it six points from their opening two Premier League games but couldn't quite find an all-important breakthrough against a threatening Seagulls side at the Amex Stadium.
Goalkeeper Nick Pope produced a terrific second half stop to deny Adam Lallana, while both Kieran Trippier and Fabian Schär made goalline clearances to make sure of the point and clean sheet in what was a resolute defensive display from the visitors, who will now get set to take on reigning champions Manchester City at St. James' Park next Sunday.
Leandro Trossard sounded a warning in the opening exchanges with a shot that was deflected over by Sven Botman, who was handed his first competitive start by Eddie Howe after making his United debut as a substitute during last weekend's 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest at St. James' Park. This was a sterner test for Howe's side against a Seagulls outfit who won at Old Trafford on the opening day, but the Magpies acquitted themselves well early on in the scorching heat on the south coast. Callum Wilson had the ball in the net after evading Adam Webster and finishing well, but his effort was ruled out, somewhat dubiously, for a high foot.
The dangerous Trossard tried his luck again soon after, with Pope spilling the Belgian's strike, and Graham Potter's charges then came even closer. England stopper Pope got a hand to Solly March's angled shot from inside the box but with the ball looking to be rolling in, Kieran Trippier intervened, taking a touch when there was very little room for error before clearing off the line.
The visitors retained a latent threat with Wilson in attack, but the Magpies' number nine couldn't find a way through in a largely even first period, with the former Bournemouth frontman and Brighton's Adam Lallana both failing to break the deadlock when presented with openings before the break. Just a few minutes after the restart, Pope was called into action once more, producing a stunning one-handed save to prevent Lallana from heading the Seagulls in front from close range.
Both sides pressed and probed but clear-cut chances were in short supply. A tempting Allan Saint-Maximin delivery forced Joel Veltman to hack it away, with former Brighton defender Dan Burn meeting the resulting corner ten yards out. The 30-year-old's header from Trippier's set piece, though, was way off target. At the other end minutes later Burn was called into action, sliding in to stop Danny Welbeck from pulling the trigger, with Lewis Dunk making a similarly vital intervention for the hosts as he halted Joe Willock.
Sean Longstaff and Jacob Murphy were introduced by Howe for the final quarter of an hour as Newcastle sought a winner but it was Potter's side who went closest to snatching all three points in the closing stages. Veltman's effort struck Burn on its way to goal and was heading in before Schär's timely clearance stopped it from crossing the line, and barely a minute later Pascal Gross pulled his finish wide of the target from six yards after substitute Kaoru Mitoma picked him out. It was a huge let-off for the Magpies, who sent on Chris Wood for the final three minutes but couldn't grab a winner in the dying moments.
