All that we ask

It was a deserved win and the most important thing is that the effort was there. It's not enough to erase the scars of last week's Anfield horror, but a reactive win certainly helps ease the pain. Effort from the players should be a given. It's not much to ask, is it?

Everton 1 - 0 Brighton

Earlier in the week I was still licking my wounds from the Merseyside derby debacle you kind of questioned if you could really be bothered going along for Everton vs Brighton.

For my money, as I was too fed up to write about my Anfield experience last Sunday, while the players were woeful in the second half I can't accept the notion that Carlo Ancelotti is devoid of criticism. We all know how Liverpool play, and he must surely have known we needed more legs in midfield. Why Tom Davies wasn't involved beggars belief for me. We didn't have a single local player on that pitch when they probably had a fair few.

Why Richarlison was deployed on the wing rather than up front was also a mystery to me, given the success he and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have enjoyed under Duncan Ferguson. With our inability to play it out from the back against a very high Liverpool press, going direct would have reaped much greater rewards. The players take responsibility for it, and quite rightly, but I did expect better from Carlo.

I needed to get that off my chest. Sure enough, however, as we approached the weekend, I began to look forward to getting back to Goodison Park and seeing how the lads could respond; come Saturday afternoon, I couldn't wait to see the boys in blue. We're Evertonians. We support our team through thick and thin… mostly thin. It's what we do.

That said, Dan was not quite as enthusiastic as we journeyed through the tunnel and towards Goodison Park. He, like many, had not forgiven the players from the previous weekend and was struggling with motivation. Dan drove to the game and my biggest stress of the day was in getting to the rendezvous point, as I somehow hit every possible red light between leaving mine and arriving, so much so that I made everyone about 10 minutes late.

We weren't exactly pushed for time however and, though a bit behind schedule, it was nice to relax in the pub for an hour or so before making our way to Goodison Park. I'd had a boozy evening in Manchester the night prior. “This could go either way, this” I said, referring to my first sip of beer. Thankfully it went down well.

The team news showed only three changes to the XI which were downed at Anfield with Yerry Mina, Seamus Coleman and Morgen Schneiderlin all making way, replaced by Michael Keane, Tom Davies and Bernard. Richarlison was this time back where he is more effective — in attack. Ex-Evertonian Shane Duffy featured at centre back for the Seagulls alongside his doppelganger Lewis Dunk.

A player who really caught my eye out there for the visitors was their Brazilian winger Bernardo. He looks a very intelligent and hard-working player and one to keep an eye on. He won't remain at Brighton for long one wouldn't have thought.

I'm always interested to see who the referee is at games and am always keen to see how new referee's who I haven't heard of get on. I always assume they can't be worse than the current mob; however, I'm disappointed to say that David Coote stunk the place out throughout and doesn't seem to be an upgrade at all.

It was clear to us at the other end of the pitch in the Gwladys Street that Theo Walcott was impeded by Lewis Dunk early in the game and we certainly should have received a penalty there. You shouldn't need VAR to confirm this but it got referred for a lengthy period… and STILL wasn't given much to the dismay of the Goodison Park crowd.

It comes to something in football when players are getting punished for staying on their feet. This decision was especially galling given the outrageous penalty awarded against us at the Amex Stadium back in October.

Though Brighton weren't playing badly, Everton maintained a measure of control throughout the first half with our Brazilians, Bernard and Richarlison, central to most of our attacking play. In midfield, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Tom Davies did everything that Gylfi Sigurdsson and Morgen Schneiderlin didn't do at Anfield, while I was particularly impressed with Michael Keane at the heart of our defence.

We played pretty well in the first half and, as it wore on, you felt that all it was missing was a goal. This thankfully arrived on 38 minutes and what a goal it was too. Richarlison came short to collect a pass and carried the ball forward towards goal before laying it off to Bernard. He fed Lucas Digne whose ball in will go down as an assist I suppose but blimey, Richarlison had an awful lot to do and essentially assisted himself, leaving Adam Webster and Lewis Dunk a merry dance before curling the ball in exquisitely with his right foot. A goal of beauty from Richarlison and we got to the break 1-0 ahead.

At half time, Speedo Mick's brother attempted the crossbar challenge and came mighty close to hitting the bar from the edge of the penalty area. The wind really began to pick up at the break and it got pretty cold. I for one had underestimated the weather and spent a lot of the second half pacing on the spot to try and keep warm.

The wind certainly had an impact on the football in the second half, but while it lacked in quality at times, it became a very closely fought contest as Brighton upped their game somewhat after the break. I felt we still had the better of it, and we should have made the game safe long before our nervy final 10 minutes when Carlo went gung-ho with the changes.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin came close to scoring when a punt forward found him through on goal under pressure from Lewis Dunk, and Matt Ryan was forced into a good save. Dominic also should have scored when excellent anticipation from Bernard resulted in an opportunity for our number nine, but his effort went straight at Ryan.

The controversial moment of the half came when Everton had the ball in the net but it was disallowed for a Dominic Calvert-Lewin handball. It would have been a strange goal. Firstly the wind nearly carried the ball all the way in from Lucas Digne's corner kick but it unfortunately came back off the post. It then popped back to Michael Keane who really should have scored but his header came back off the crossbar and out. Dominic then bundled it in on the goal line, and it looked like he may have used his arm in real time, and so it proved, the goal was disallowed following a VAR check.

I thought the then subsequent booking of Dominic was ridiculous. I mean, we watched Trent Alexander-Arnold when already on a yellow card in the Merseyside derby back in December, clearly, like very clearly, reach out and handle a ball which stopped a pass for us. Lucas Digne, and other players, made Mike Dean and the linesman very aware of what had happened but they just ignored it. They wouldn't want to upset them lot now, would they?

However, in this game, the referee, who initially hadn't seen the handball, then decided to book a player for something he hadn't seen. Having watched it back, though it is a handball, it's impossible to say with any certainty if Dominic deliberately handled or not. The goal was rightly ruled out, but the yellow card was a disgraceful decision by a referee who never had control of the game.

The final 10 minutes with a reshuffled back line was as nervy as it gets but thankfully we got ourselves over the line, and on the balance of play, deservedly so. Brighton weren't without opportunities though and will rue missing them. Leandro Trossard had earlier rattled the crossbar when he took a dip from distance; and Mason Holgate's wayward clearance dangerously looped over our own crossbar with Jordan Pickford stranded.

However, it was their substitute, the veteran Glenn Murray, who twice came close to scoring, firstly heading goalwards and forcing Jordan into a fine save away to his right. And then, in the closing stages of the game, Glenn came even closer when he got on the end of an opportunity inside the penalty area, though his deft flick swished just beyond the far post. One of the fellas in front of us suggested that the wind may have carried it wide; he could be right. Glenn didn't get much contact on the ball and the wind may well have saved us there.

We got the full time unscathed… just. But it was a deserved win and the most important thing is that the effort was there. It's not enough to erase the scars of last week's Anfield horror, but a reactive win certainly helps ease the pain. Effort from the players should be a given. It's not much to ask, is it?

On the face of it, three wins out of four league games for Carlo Ancelotti (with the one defeat away at Manchester City) isn't anything to be sniffed at. Though the black mark at Anfield remains. On we go to another old acquaintance… it'll be interesting to see what David Moyes has up his sleeve for us at next weekend's trip to the capital.

Player ratings:

Pickford: I thought he did well. Saved what he had to and his penalty box command and distribution were both good. 7

Digne: A bit better than he has been of late. He will be made up to register an assist. His form has been under question for some time now, some excusing it with a groin injury, others feeling his head has been turned. Looking at his social media, he has had a personal issue recently, perhaps that has been hanging over him somewhat. Either way, let's hope for a return to form for Lucas Digne in 2020. 6

Keane: I thought Michael was excellent, a bit like his form of last season. There's an opportunity there for him to cement his place in the team. I'll be interested to see if he takes it. 8

Holgate: Did quite well also. I'd never have believed you if you'd told me at the start of the season that Mason would be a mainstay in the team this season. 7

Sidibe: Did okay. Carlo seems to rate him over Seamus Coleman. 6

Davies: Tom had a very effective game in the middle, full of fight and always looking forward. I read a stat somewhere that Tom has played a higher percentage of forward passes in the league than anybody else. It can get us in trouble sometimes such is his over-eagerness, but I'd rather have that than someone playing it safe all the time. I'm staggered he didn't begin the game, or at least get on the pitch at Anfield. 7

Sigurdsson: Particularly as he was given the captain's armband and following the raft of criticism he received from supporters following the Merseyside derby, there was a lot of pressure on Gylfi to perform in this game, and he certainly stood up to be counted. He worked hard and dictated a lot of the play in midfield. A good performance. 7

Walcott: Theo did pretty well. He got involved and caused them problems down the left-hand side before he was substituted with 20 minutes to go. You can never really question Theo's attitude. His decision-making can be poor, but he does work for the team, and there are precious few alternatives to playing him currently so we might as well get behind him. 6

Bernard: Bernard had a very effective first half, and was having a good second half before he was substituted. Let's hope he can stay fit and get a run of games now because he does make a big difference when he's in the team. 7

Richarlison: Richarlison had a splendid game. He was busy throughout, productive, slippery, aggressive and won us the game. A great effort. I still can't believe he didn't play up front at Anfield. My Man of the Match. 9

Calvert-Lewin: Did some good things and carried the fight but he probably needed to be more clinical with his opportunities. Still, a good effort. 6

Delph (for Bernard): I'm not for booing players onto the pitch. Yes, Fabian got in a barney with a supporter on Instagram. No, it's not ideal. No, I'm not a big fan of his, but let's get behind the lads. Booing our own players is futile. Fabian did okay from a defensive aspect and that was about it. 6

Coleman (for Walcott): Seamus was brought on as part of Carlo's staggered shutting-up-shop attempts and got involved quickly. 6

Mina (for Holgate): Also brought on as part of a late reshuffle. Also got involved and didn't do badly. 6

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