Brighton 1 – 5 Everton

Everton injected life into their Premier League survival bid as a first-half blitz at high-flying Brighton secured a shock 5-1 victory on the south coast.

Having gained simply as soon as of their earlier 11 league video games, the guests wanted simply 33 seconds to interrupt the impasse by Abdoulaye Doucoure’s close-range end.

The superb Doucoure doubled Everton’s lead with a managed volley from Dwight McNeil’s Twenty ninth-minute cross earlier than Jason Steele miscalculated a cutback from the previous Burnley winger to divert the ball into his personal internet within the thirty fifth minute.

Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi made 4 adjustments on the interval and the hosts hit the woodwork on two events earlier than McNeil deservedly capped a high-quality efficiency with a purpose of his personal to sucker-punch the Seagulls within the 76th minute.

Alexis Mac Allister was readily available to attain a comfort for the hosts after Kaoru Mitoma’s preliminary effort rebounded again off the publish. With just about the ultimate kick, McNeil was unleashed by Amadou Onana together with his angled end excessive into the roof of the web finishing a shocking away efficiency.

The end result strikes Everton from nineteenth as much as sixteenth within the desk forward of Nottingham Forest’s residence conflict with Southampton afterward Monday, two factors exterior of the relegation zone.

How Everton breathed life into survival bid

Lengthy after the ultimate whistle, the 4,000 travelling supporters had been unmoved, nearly in shock at what they’d witnessed. This has been an extended and wretched season, a repeat of 12 months in the past, however with out the talisman Richarlison, they’d appeared doomed.

Till now. A primary win on the street since early October at Southampton has breathed spirit again into the Blues. Everton scored 5 targets in a Premier League away sport for the primary time since December 2018 – a 5-1 win at Burnley – with this additionally their largest margin of victory on the street since then.

Writing in his programme notes, supervisor Roberto De Zerbi alluded to how fatigue can be “inevitable” throughout Brighton’s hectic backlog of fixtures.

However it’s far simpler to deal with tiredness when the group is profitable, and definitely within the method the roof got here off the Amex Stadium 4 days in the past courtesy of Alexis Mac Allister’s 99th-minute winner in opposition to Manchester United. A 99 on the south coast; it have to be vacation season.

Brighton are readying their passports, however this was a completely surprising roadblock. On Monday they had been introduced with a really completely different problem in maintaining their European aspirations on monitor. This was their third successive residence sport, having dismantled Wolves 6-0 on the finish of final month – however they fell behind inside 33 seconds.

Lewis Dunk was rolled with ease with Dominic Calvert-Lewin earlier than the striker picked out Doucoure for a close-range end, his shot shovelled past Steele. Everton had solely scored 12 away league targets, however Doucoure doubled his account on 29 minutes to cap a high-quality counter-attack.

Calvert-Lewin was once more concerned as he mixed with McNeil down the left channel, and the winger’s deep cross was volleyed previous Steele by the rampant Doucoure.

Six minutes later, it was 3-0 because the ball bounced off the again of Steele’s leg and in for an personal purpose from McNeil’s cross.

Jordan Pickford hadn’t been examined despite Brighton’s possessional dominance, and Everton may need prolonged their lead on the stroke of half-time when James Garner’s shot was brilliantly blocked by Lewis Dunk.

De Zerbi made a quadruple change on the break as Levi Colwill, Solly March, Julio Enciso and Evan Ferguson had been all summoned. Brighton instantly responded as March shot straight at Pickford. Ferguson rose – albeit judged from an offside place – to pressure England’s No 1 into an outstanding one-handed save onto the publish. It will have gone to VAR.

Yerry Mina, on his first look below Dyche January and first begin since January, blocked heroically from March’s curling shot.

Ferguson’s subsequent try was tipped over by Pickford through the crossbar, with the following set-piece flicked onto the woodwork by Mac Allister.

Everton’s purpose was main a charmed life however Brighton had been undone as soon as extra on the counter as Iwobi discovered the underlapping run of McNeil following a poor tried cross by March. As McNeil rounded Steele to faucet in on the road, March had pulled up holding his hamstring.

Brighton would instantly reply by Mac Allister, nevertheless it was becoming that McNeil would have the ultimate say with the choose of the bunch, gliding onto Onana’s cross earlier than unleashing an unerring strike, postage stamp, past Steele.

Participant of the match – Dwight McNeil

With seven targets and three assists, Dwight McNeil is having fun with his greatest Premier League season for purpose involvements (10), with Monday the primary time he is each scored and assisted in a league sport for Everton.

Everton produce survival template for fulfillment

Sky Sports activities’ Ben Grounds on the Amex Stadium:

Nobody noticed this coming. In a season of shocks and surprises, this may increasingly effectively have been the best. Everton’s poor away kind has been well-documented whereas Brighton’s efficiency in opposition to Manchester United 4 days earlier pointed in direction of a banker residence win.

However Sean Dyche, who loved a 3-0 win as Burnley supervisor right here in February of final 12 months, loved his return to the Amex Stadium. From the primary whistle, his facet had a good condition and carried out his sport plan to perfection.

The travelling followers will sing lengthy into the evening, believing that this, coupled with Leicester’s defeat at Fulham, has opened the door to a different nice escape.

Doucoure’s knack of arriving late within the field was lethal, capitalising on Brighton’s slack passing and sluggishness in monitoring again. The guests needed to be compact and had been reliant on Pickford’s heroics at occasions throughout a one-sided second half.

This was a spectacular off day for Brighton, who’ve been such a pleasure to observe this time period and deserve their ticket to Europe. However it will now be a take a look at of their character as their rivals apply scoreboard strain forward of their subsequent try at enjoying catch up at Newcastle.

Brighton rocked – Opta stats

• This was Brighton’s heaviest residence defeat within the Premier League since July 2020, and a 5-0 loss in opposition to Manchester Metropolis.
• This was the primary time a group beginning the day within the backside three gained away in opposition to a facet within the high seven of the desk since West Brom’s 5-2 victory over Chelsea in April 2021 (D10 L27 in between).
• Since their first Premier League season in 2017-18, Brighton have conceded a league-high 14 personal targets. They’ve shipped 5 this season, with no facet doing so extra usually.

What’s subsequent?

Brighton face two daunting away journeys of their subsequent two matches. First, they head to Arsenal on Sunday Could 14, kick-off 4.30pm, earlier than travelling to Newcastle on Could 18.

Everton now have simply three video games left to safe Premier League survival. They host Manchester Metropolis on Sunday at 2pm earlier than visiting Wolves after which ending at residence in opposition to Bournemouth.

Brighton’s remaining fixtures

Could 14: Arsenal (A) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm

Could 18: Newcastle (A) – Premier League, kick-off 7.30pm

Could 21: Southampton (H) – Premier League, kick-off 2pm

Could 24: Man Metropolis (H) – Premier League, kick-off 8pm, reside on Sky Sports activities

Could 28: Aston Villa (A) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm

Everton’s remaining fixtures

Could 14: Man Metropolis (H) – Premier League, kick-off 2pm

Could 20: Wolves (A) – Premier League, kick-off 3pm

Could 28: Bournemouth (H) – Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm