Last updated on .From the section Football

Brighton failed to win any of their last three matches, when only one victory would have been enough to secure the title

Jack Grealish's last-minute equaliser for Aston Villa denied Brighton & Hove Albion the Championship title.

The Premier League-bound Seagulls were beaten by Bristol City and Norwich in their past two games with only three points required to seal top spot.

Glenn Murray's penalty after Sam Baldock was fouled by Nathan Baker, who was sent off for the challenge, looked to be sending them towards the title.

However, Grealish's strike handed top spot to Newcastle, who beat Barnsley.

Chris Hughton's side, who confirmed their return to the top flight on 17 April, also miss out on a fourth league title in 16 years - with no other current EFL team having won more league titles since 2000 than the Seagulls.

Villa, good value for their point against Brighton, finish 13th in the Championship after relegation from the Premier League last season.

Henri Lansbury wasted their clearest opportunity prior to Murray's opener, heading over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.

Visiting goalkeeper David Stockdale was also forced into several smart saves - the best to deny Conor Hourihane from long range - but he looked to be at fault for Grealish's late equaliser.

Having played the last half an hour with 10 men following Baker's straight red card, the 31-year-old keeper was wrong-footed by the Villa midfielder's strike despite appearing to initially have it covered.

Brighton will now have to pick themselves up after their stuttering end to the season as they prepare for their first top-flight campaign for 34 years.

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce:

"We're 31 points behind Brighton and that's unacceptable. I've got to have a squad of players who can mount a challenge otherwise I won't be sitting here [next season].

"We've finished 13th and that's the lowest I've finished in my career.

"The draw put a bit of a dampener on it [for Brighton] but they have got promoted. For us to be 31 points behind them shows the work I've got and we're as jealous as hell."

Brighton boss Chris Hughton:

"Today is a negative day, it's difficult, but there are far more pluses. What these lads have achieved this season has been magnificent.

"David [Stockdale] has been excellent for us all season and he had made two very good saves from free-kicks before. There's never any portion of blame. We have to accept it as a team.

"For us the season is finished and we have achieved our goal. We're playing in a division where there are some very big teams, who have spent big money, and we have managed to come in the top two."