United still have two away games to play as they look to secure European football for a second season in a row, but were unable to sign off at St. James' Park with a victory on a sunny day on Tyneside. They did, however, fight back to earn a point which could yet prove vital when the final ball is kicked next weekend, following trips to Manchester United and Brentford.

Brighton took the lead in the 18th minute when Pascal Gross' right-wing corner was nodded on by Danny Welbeck and Joël Veltman prodded home, despite the best efforts of Jacob Murphy on the line.

Murphy tried to influence proceedings at the other end when, six minutes later, he went for goal but his low shot was saved by the diving Bart Verbruggen.

Then in the 34th minute, the visiting goalkeeper did well to keep out Longstaff's header from an Anthony Gordon corner.

Martin Dúbravka made a similarly important intervention to deny Welbeck as the former England man latched onto Julio Enciso's through-ball and attempted to nudge the ball past the Newcastle netminder. Seconds later, Lewis Hall sent a powerful left-footed drive narrowly off target.

Enciso, the Paraguayan playmaker, should have done better when heading wide from Simon Adingra's cross in the 42nd minute, then the same player scuffed an effort the wrong side of the far post less than a minute later.

But the Magpies ended the first half in the ascendancy and, after Alexander Isak had latched onto a clever Bruno Guimarães pass only to see his effort pushed behind by Verbruggen, they levelled with the last action before the break.

Gordon found Elliot Anderson, who cut the ball back from the left for Longstaff to slot home his second goal in two games and his eighth of the campaign in all competitions.

Shortly before the hour mark, Tariq Lamptey slid in to steal the ball away from Gordon as United's player of the season looked set to finish from Isak's pass, with Verbruggen needing to tip the ball over the bar to prevent his team-mate from scoring an own goal.

Eddie Howe introduced Harvey Barnes, Miguel Almirón and Joelinton as his side pushed for a second goal and in the 78th minute, Almirón surged into the box but his shot was parried by Verbruggen.

Three minutes later, Barnes side-footed over the bar from Gordon's low cross, before the former Leicester man was teed up again in the 84th minute, this time by Anderson, but was denied by the goalkeeper.

Seconds later, United thought they had taken the lead - Almirón raced onto Barnes' pass and rolled the ball across goal for Gordon to tap home, but the flag was up.

In the final minute of normal time, Gordon had claims for a penalty, but referee Darren England was unmoved.

Then the official booked Almirón for what he deemed as simulation rather than pointing to the spot when the Paraguayan went down in the box in stoppage time.