Albion will be favourites at the Amex today – and Graham Potter believes they can handle that on and off the pitch.

They take on a Newcastle side who will still be under caretaker management and have yet to win in the league.

Albion know poor records count for little in the Prem.

They are still, for example, the only visiting side to drop points at Norwich.

But they upset massive in-play odds to come from 2-0 down to draw at Liverpool.

GRAHAM POTTER FACES BIG DECISIONS AS BRIGHTON PLAY NEWCASTLE

Much-criticised Newcastle matched the Seagulls’ 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace on their last away trip, also under stand-in boss Graeme Jones.

So don’t under-estimate the challenge posed by Toon today.

PAUL BARBER'S CLEAR MESSAGE TO TROUBLE-MAKERS AT THE AMEX

But also be confident and purposeful in trying to add to their misery.

Albion have not won in a while but Potter knows fans will not just turn up assuming that will be put right today.

The head coach said: “I think our supporters are fair people and intelligent at understanding the league and where we are at.

“Of course we’re doing quite well but you only have to look at the league - it’s so difficult.

“We have no right to turn up for any game in the Premier League and expect to win. That doesn’t happen.

“We know that we’re playing against a team that finished above us in the table last year and have Premier League quality players, especially in attacking positions and who, on any given day, against any opponent, can score goals and leave you with no points.

“That’s the threat they pose. But that’s the Premier League and we want to embrace that challenge and be positive about it, be ourselves and try to play football as we think we can, and then we have to just fight for the points.”

Potter knows Jones well but that does not mean he knows how his side will set up.

It now appears Jones will hand over the reins to Eddie Howe after this game going into the international window.

With potentially nothing to lose, he might roll the dice at the Amex after Toon were criticised for a passive approach when they lost at home to Chelsea last Saturday.

Potter said: “Against an interim manager, you’re never sure.

“They might decide to change because they don’t know how long they’ve got, so they might try something that maybe the regular guy wouldn’t.

“And with a new manager, Newcastle have been playing 5-3-2, they might come in and decide on a completely different system.

“It doesn’t affect us so much, it’s always about how we want to play and an understanding of what the opponent might do but still being able to adapt, because things change in football.

“Just because something has happened in the past doesn’t mean it’s going to be the same in the future, so you should always be available to adapt.”

It is more than four years now since Albion and Newcastle were promoted together.

Both have survived fairly comfortably and Toon are ready to now kick on after securing major investment.

Those riches do not guarantee immediate improvement as Manchester City found at Withdean in 2098.

But Newcastle will expect to leave Albion behind at some stage while Potter and his club keep doing what they are doing.

He said: “The lesson from our perspective is to never really feel you are an established Premier League club.

“You have to remember there’s only probably eight clubs you can say ‘They’re going to be there’.

“The rest are fighting and, until you get the points, you’re not established.

“That is our foundation of thoughts. If you have a bad season, injuries, whatever happens off the pitch, these things can happen and you can get exposed to trouble.

“That’s why we always say that, regardless of where we are in the table, we are fighting to keep in it, fighting to keep improving.

“We have ambition but we always remember that every point in the Premier League is hard fought as well.”