Matchday Updates

Everton took on a very lively Brighton side at Goodison Park but Calvert-Lewin set them on their way with a fine far-post header for his 9th goal. But the brilliant star of this game was James Rodriguez, with a great play for the first, creating the second, and scoring the last two goals on the break.

Davies and Sigurdsson came in for Allan and Gomes who, along with Moise Kean and Jonjoe Kenny, were ruled out of this game while Richarlison passed a fitness test in the morning. Branthwaite, Holgate, and Gbmain are also out injured.

Although the visitors got things going, it was Everton's persistent attack that was the memorable feature of the first 5 mins. Calvert-Lewin had almost too much time when Doucoré powered the ball through to him but the Everton man saw his shot saved by Ryan. Coleman was next to warm Ryan's gloves with a tasty strike. Everton's first corner found its way into the net but was immediately cancelled, the referee calling an infringement.

Alzate was booked for pulling back Coleman after just 4 minutes. Rodriguez saw this somewhat cynically as an excuse to go down prostrate on the wet Goodison turf at the slightest contact from Alzate but the referee didn't buy it.

A rather poor foul by Bissouma took Richarlison out but no yellow card for the overly aggressive Brighton player. Everton settled from the early frenetic period to pass the ball around in a controlled manner until Rodriguez took a very quick corner short and Sigurdsson twisted smartly to create a great chance to cross suberbly, setting up Calvert-Lewin who rose majestically at the far post to drive a very confident and accurate header past Ryan and inside the post for his 9th goal of the season.

Richarlison injured himself when attempting to strike through the ball and contacted the outstreched leg of Lamptey, going down in serious pain, and needing plenty of treatment. When recovered enough to hobble off, Iwobi came on in his place, with no sanction of Lamptey for his role in the clash.

After a period of pressure from Brighton, Rodriguez tried to curl one in but it sailed high and wide. Doucouré then tried to feed Calvert-Lewin, then Rodriquez danced his way through some defenders. Everton recycled the ball until Sigurdsson was dispossessed, the pace of the game was very fast.

James gave away an unnecessary free-kick that was wasted by Brighton but March put in a good cross that Alzate might have converted; however he was offside. But Brighton did get level after a real mess in defence and a horrible error by Pickford, who parried the high spinning ball to Maupay for an easy strike through Keane's legs on the goalline.

After the restart, a soft free-kick for handball was well overhit by Dunk when he could also have tested Pickford. But the mojo was with Brighton now, Everton rocking a little under the pressure. Everton did finally get forward in added time, getting a free-kick right of the penalty area that James planted onto the head Mina, jumping behind Keane, who absolutely buried it.

The action resumed with a change by Brighton, Everton having regained command of things against a very competitive Brighton side. They got the ball forward, Doucouré setting up James for what needed to be a first-time strike but he wanted a second touch and was smothered.

A nice move forward down the left after playing out from a goal-kick looked good until Iwobi's pass was too close to a defender. But they did sweep through with a fine move after Brighton lost possession, finished off by Rodriguez after a perfect cutback across goal by Iwobi to the Colombian superstar.

James was in fine form, clipping a lovely ball forward but Calvert-Lewin was baulked by a defender. A corner kick taken by Sigurdsson was defended away, but Everton picked it up and tried to create another chance that was cleared. As Brighton advanced, James and Coleman went down, Coleman overstretching and going off, with Delph replacing him.

Brighton were by no means done, creating a difficult cross, deflected high off Iwobi and headed behind by Mina under a lot of pressure with Pickfrod stranded. But Everton survived that one after Brighton played a short corner and were driven back to the half-way line.

Another bizarre Pickford reaction save saw him punch a wicked cross from March straight at Maupay, who was immediately and well challenged by Tom Davies to incredibly prevent a certain goal.

Keane was the next England and Everton man to be embarrassed as he gave the ball away to the swarming yellow shirts, with the visitors searching desperately for a chance to get back into the game. But Everton broke away and another absolutely wonderfully worked goal, Iwobi with a marvellous ball to Doucouré who, as Iwobi had done before him, cut the same ball back across goal to the same wonderful exponent of the game, James Rodriguez, who executed the finish off a difficult bounce with perfection for his second and Everton's fourth.

But Brighton just would not lie done, and almost created something when Davies gave James a hospital ball that Webster picked up and fired at goal, Mina getting himself in the way of the shot. They circled the Everton area repeatedly and everyone, including Iwobi, needed to be on their toes in defence.

The end of the game was played largely in Everton's half except when the Blues could get the ball and break. But first Walcott and then Calvert-Lewin failed to make anything of the opportunities to go on and get the 5th goal.

Doucouré made a poor mistake in midfield and it looked to be a certain goal for Trossard until Mina somehow flung himself in front as the player fired his shot, deflecting it behind. But finally Pickford was beaten by a blinder from Bossouma 25 yards out, a brilliant volley off his own chest.

Deep into stoppage time and the Seagulls kept swooping forward at the Everton goal until Simon Hooper finally blew his whistle on the Blues' fourth successive Premier League win — seven in all this season — to top the table again for one of their best ever starts.

Scorers: Calvert-Lewin (12'), Mina (45+2') Rodriguez (59, 70'); Maupay (41'), Bossouma (90+2')

Everton: Pickford, Coleman (58' Delph), Keane, Mina, Digne, Davies, Doucouré, Sigurdsson, Rodriguez (79' Walcott), Richarlison (25' Iwobi), Calvert-Lewin.
Subs not Used: Là¶ssl, Nkounkou, Gordon, Bernard.

Brighton & Hove Albion: Ryan, Lamptey (46' Veltman), White, Webster, Dunk, Bissouma, March, Trossard, Alzate [Y:4'] (82' GroàŸ), Connolly (66' Lallana), Maupay.
Subs not Used: Steele, MacAllister, Bernardo, Burn.

Referee: Simon Hooper
VAR: Kevin Friend

Michael Kenrick

Match Preview

Updated Everton are bidding to extend their 100% start to the season as they play Brighton & Hove Albion at Goodison Park in their final game of a busy three-week period prior to the first international break.

Following the last of the Carabao Cup Round 4 matches on Thursday, the Toffees are the last remaining unbeaten side in all competitions in England's top four divisions and, having thumped West Ham 4-1, they go into the weekend looking for their seventh straight win.

They face tricky opposition in the form of the Seagulls, however — a team that likes to get forward, can score goals and boasts a decent array of attacking talent. Leandro Trossard was a thorn in Everton's side when the two clubs met on the south coast a year ago, Neal Maupay has three goals already this season and exciting young full-back, Tariq Lamptey, has stolen headlines for his early-season form and even attracted reported interest from Bayern Munich.

Though well beaten by Chelsea on their own patch in their opening fixture, Brighton beat Newcastle comprehensively at St James's Park the Sunday before last before losing to Manchester United in controversial circumstances in the Premier League last weekend.

Maupay was penalised for handball in stoppage time, with the Video Assistant Referee's review and subsequent decision to award United a penalty coming after the final whistle had been blown. Bruno Fernandes scored the winner from the spot but Graham Potter's side were extremely unlucky not to have won the game by that point as they hit the woodwork five times over the 90-odd minutes.

So the returning Yerry Mina — the Colombian sat out the cup victory over the Hammers — Michael Keane and the rest of the back line will need to be on their toes for this one, as will whomever is deployed in front of them. Allan hobbled out of Wednesday's game with a groin problem, putting his involvement in doubt, but Fabian Delph was in impressive form and, working in concert with Abdoulaye Doucouré, the veteran could do a job holding things together in the Brazilian's absence.

André Gomes is also expected to return having played no part in midweek but, further forward, Richarlison is another doubt after he too had to limp out of the action against West Ham, appearing to at the least sprain his ankle in a challenge on Ben Johnson.

Carlo Ancelotti was optimistic that none of the injuries sustained (Jonjoe Kenny went off in the first half with an ankle issue of his own) were all that serious but it remains to be seen who is passed fit and who plays.

For their part, Brighton will be without Jose Izquierdo, Davy Propper and long-term absentee Florin Andone while the in-form Alireza Jahanbakhsh will undergo a late fitness test on a thigh complaint.

Though it promises to perhaps be a more open game than was the case in this fixture back in January, when a solitary Richarlison goal was the difference, Everton's performances over the first several games, as varied as they have been, suggest that they should have enough quality to get the win.

James Rodriguez was called upon to play the full 90 minutes on Wednesday, which will help his match fitness; the freshness of the players being rotated back in should keep the momentum going.

Kick-off: 3pm, Saturday, 3 October 2020
Referee: Simon Hooper
VAR: Kevin Friend
Last Time: Everton 1 - 0 Brighton & Hove Albion

Predicted Line-up*: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Mina, Digne, Delph, Doucouré, Gomes, Rodriguez, Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin

* Made before Ancelotti's press conference

Lyndon Lloyd

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