Two points dropped, but with caveats

If you’d offered most Evertonians last Sunday morning four points from Premier League games against West Ham and Brighton plus progress to the last eight of the Carabao Cup, they would probably have readily taken it.

And yet, having led for 77 minutes against the Seagulls and seen two points slip away thanks to an own goal, it’s hard not to feel more than a little disappointed despite the wins over the Hammers last weekend and Burnley in the cup in midweek.

Looking at possession statistics alone, you’d have thought that Brighton more than deserved to take a point away from Goodison Park today but despite having 80% of the ball, Roberto de Zerbi’s side managed just two shots on target all afternoon.

Such was the stout defensive display from Sean Dyche’s side, one that rarely looked like buckling before being undone on the only occasion where Ashley Young afforded the dangerous Kaoru Mitoma too much space down Brighton’s left and then unwittingly helped the Japanese forward’s cross into his own goal with just six minutes of the 90 to go.

By ceding so much possession and territory to the visitors, Everton always ran the risk of asking too much of their defence. There’s also an argument that once again, Dyche asked too much of his starting XI, particularly those, like the 38-year-old Young, who had put in a 90-minute shift on Wednesday night.

The manager didn’t make any changes until the 90th minute by which time the lead had been lost but it’s calculated risk he has taken before and it ended up working so, perhaps, it was just one of those where you take the point and move on.

The loss of two points that would have had the Toffees sitting in 12th place heading into Sunday’s games still grates, though — not least because of how poorly they looked after the ball, particularly in the second half where it was all a bit too hasty at times, particularly from Jordan Pickford whose distribution was poor all afternoon.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin was often too isolated, Jack Harrison was industrious off the ball but struggled to make an impact on it, and though Idrissa Gueye was useful as part of the general press, you couldn’t help but wonder if things might have been different had Amadou Onana not been forced to miss out with a tight calf.

Still, there was, at least, a goal to savour for Vitalii Mykolenko who was rewarded for his excellent form of recent weeks and the result extends Everton’s recent record to just three defeats in 11 in all competitions since the end of August, leaving them six points clear of the relegation zone.

Everton started strongly, with their diligent press trying to force mistakes from Brighton's back line but it was from a standard attack that the hosts almost took the lead in the third minute.

Dwight McNeil's cross came off James Milner and Adboulaye Doucouré hammered a volley from close range that Bart Verbruggen parried away but the opening goal came just four minutes later from a similar position.

Mykolenko had done superbly to win the ball inside the visitors' half and he continued his run to be in the right place when McNeil's cross came off Jan Paul van Hecke. The Ukrainian's first shot with his left foot was blocked by the keeper but when he rattled the rebound goal-ward with his right, it diverted up off Dunk's out-stretched leg and into the roof of the net.

Simon Adingra dragged a shot wide as Brighton threatened for the first time and when Jarrad Branthwaite was adjudged to have fouled the Ivorian a few minutes later, Everton were remiss in leaving Lewis Dunk free to smash a volley in off the underside of Pickford's crossbar.

A long delay for another forensic review by Video Assistant Referee Michael Oliver ensued before Dunk was ruled to have been fractionally offside and the hosts breathed a sigh of relief.

Calvert-Lewin was felled just outside the Brighton box and James Garner curled the resulting free-kick a yard or so over in the 24th minute and, on the half-hour mark, the Blues No.9 surged away on the counter-attack with Doucouré but he went on his own and screwed a poor shot well off target.

Then, as half-time approached, McNeil went down in the opposition penalty area under a challenge from Van Hecke but the officials determined that the Dutchman had been knocked into the Toffees' winger before flattening him as he tried to drive towards goal.

Brighton had controlled the ball in the first half, enjoying over 80% possession but they found Everton almost impossible to get through and had just one shot on target to show for their efforts by the halfway stage.

De Zerbi's men increased the pressure in the second half and, with their hosts struggled to carry the same threat on the counter, it was largely one-way traffic until the final quarter of an hour.

Doucouré chased Billy Gilmour down to the edge of Everton's box and tripped him unnecessarily setting up a direct free-kick opportunity for Dunk but Pickford flew across goal to push the defender's effort over.

Midway through the half, Christian Gross fired over from around 15 yards out and James Tarkowski did well to charge down a shot from substitute Joao Pedro as Brighton counter-attacked with purpose but it was almost 2-0 with 15 minutes left.

Harrison cut inside and the ball broke to McNeil who set himself and drilled a shot that flew a few inches the wrong side of Verbruggen's left-hand post.

A minute later, Doucouré powered into the box and tried to centre it for Calvert-Lewin but it was cut out and then, as the game moved into the final 10 minute, Calvert-Lewin appeared to be hauled down in the area but despite yet more howls for a penalty, nothing was given.

The contest had become more combative in the closing stages, but when Young got caught tucking in near his own box and with Harrison caught too far forward, Mitoma profited.

Driving past Harrison, the Japanese attempted to swing the ball in and it took a wicked deflection off Young and Pickford couldn't keep it out as it spun over his out-stretched glove.

Tarkowski had a late chance from a corner from the left but headed straight at the keeper and, after four minutes of added time, the referee called time with the spoils shared.

Dyche spoke afterwards of it being a point gained due to how good a side Brighton are but it's hard to view this as anything other than two points dropped from a winning position.

Nevertheless, when you compare it to the performance in this same fixture last season on that harrowing night in early January, you can't help but appreciate how much Everton have improved. For now, even though having just 20% possession at Goodison Park against anyone other than Manchester City is hard to swallow, that's what matters.

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