Hughton praises Ryan after Newcastle stalemate

In a game of few chances, Ryan made two excellent second-half saves to keep out a deflected Mikel Merino shot and then Dwight Gayle's glancing header.

Albion looked their most threatening from set-pieces, with Shane Duffy heading over in the first half and Lewis Dunk denied by Karl Darlow in the second period.

Hughton said: “In both halves we had really good periods of possession - balls into the box and we looked threatening - and they’re the moments when you need to score.

“It can alleviate the pressure. The timing of your goals have to be in your better periods, and perhaps that’s where we’ve got to improve.

“There was also that fear that you can lose a game that you don’t deserve to lose. It was a difficult game and it’s never an easy one here.

“There weren’t many chances in it, and you could probably sense that little bit of nervousness in front of goal from both sides.

“But I thought we were the better side over the 90 minutes. We were certainly worthy of the point and perhaps deserved that little bit more.”

Hughton also praised Ryan and said: “He’s had to do that on numerous occasions this season. Even in games where we’ve been quite good and he hasn’t had too much to do, he’s still had to pull out one or two really good saves.

“He’s settled in really well and it’s another clean sheet for him, the back four and the entire team.”

Match report: Newcastle 0, Brighton 0.