ADAM VIRGO has backed Albion to make it third time lucky by pipping Newcastle to the title on a tense final day.

The Seagulls have squandered two chances to win the Championship with successive defeats at Norwich and at home to Bristol City.

Virgo expects Chris Hughton’s side to do enough at Aston Villa on Sunday, despite making the task more awkward than it should have been.

The defender, whose last day equaliser against Ipswich at Withdean rescued Albion from relegation 12 years ago, said: “You could have written the Norwich one off.

“Chris has played 4-4-2 all season and he played 4-5-1, possibly looking ahead towards next season.

“The club and the whole city were really setting it up for the game against Bristol City, which didn’t go according to plan.

“You’ve got to give credit to Lee Johnson’s side and now Brighton have made it really hard for themselves. It is in their own hands and Villa were pretty poor at Blackburn at the weekend.”

Virgo, a member of the Albion squads that won League Two and League One back-to-back in 2001 and 2002, added: “Newcastle are at home to Barnsley and the word will go around if Newcastle get an early goal. It will certainly put the pressure back on Brighton.

“I still think they will do it but they could have made it a lot easier for themselves.

“I think after the Wigan (promotion) game their mindset was ‘We’ve done it now’ and they’ve struggled since then to get over the line and win the league.”

Hughton believes nothing can detract from Albion winning promotion to the Premier League for the first time.

He said: “We were fortunate to put ourselves in a position where we were promoted with three games to spare. That’s a wonderful achievement irrespective of what happens.

“It won’t take away from the fact it has been a brilliant season but we want to finish top. We have an opportunity to do that and I hope we can.”