Everton’s victory at Brighton is only their second away from home this seasonEverton produced a superb display of counter-attacking to climb out of the Premier League relegation zone with a stunning victory that dented Brighton’s European ambitions.
An extraordinary first half saw the visitors go ahead after just 34 seconds, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin squaring for Abdoulaye Doucoure to tap in after Seagulls captain Lewis Dunk had been badly caught out.
Mali midfielder Doucoure added Everton’s second just before the half-hour mark with a precise volley, into the right corner from Dwight McNeil’s cross.
McNeil was then heavily involved as Sean Dyche’s side extended their lead, driving towards the byeline and seeing his low cross deflect off the foot of Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele into the back of the net.
A shambolic first period saw Brighton booed off at the interval, fortunate not to have suffered the embarrassment of being four goals down, with Dunk blocking James Garner’s close-range effort on the stroke of half-time.
A mightily impressive performance from Everton, who repeatedly threatened on the break during the first half and defended stoutly in the second, saw them add their fourth when McNeil raced on to Alex Iwobi’s incisive pass to round Steele and slot into an empty net.
Roberto de Zerbi’s side, who were much improved after making four half-time changes, saw substitute Evan Ferguson (twice) and Alexis Mac Allister hit the woodwork, before they finally managed a scrappy consolation with Kaoru Mitoma’s sliding effort rebounding off the post and bouncing in off Mac Allister.
A wonderful McNeil effort in added time, that flew into the top corner, ensured Everton had the final say as they moved out of the drop zone in style, to sit 16th in the table after leapfrogging Nottingham Forest, Leeds and Leicester City.
Forest host bottom side Southampton at 20:00 BST on Monday.
Meanwhile, Brighton remain seventh, seven points behind fifth-placed Liverpool, with two games in hand.
Follow all Monday’s Premier League actionGo straight to all the best Brighton contentMore Everton newsMore to follow.
Player of the match
McNeilDwight McNeil
with an average of 8.81
Brighton & Hove AlbionSquad number27Player nameGilmour
Squad number28Player nameFerguson
Squad number10Player nameMac Allister
Squad number7Player nameMarch
Squad number22Player nameMitoma
Squad number20Player nameEnciso
Squad number13Player nameGroß
Squad number25Player nameCaicedo
Squad number30Player nameEstupiñán
Squad number5Player nameDunk
Squad number4Player nameWebster
Squad number23Player nameSteele
Squad number18Player nameWelbeck
Squad number6Player nameColwill
Squad number21Player nameUndav
Squad number40Player nameBuonanotte
EvertonSquad number7Player nameMcNeil
Squad number3Player namePatterson
Squad number16Player nameDoucouré
Squad number1Player namePickford
Squad number9Player nameCalvert-Lewin
Squad number17Player nameIwobi
Squad number2Player nameTarkowski
Squad number13Player nameMina
Squad number19Player nameMykolenko
Squad number27Player nameGueye
Squad number37Player nameGarner
Squad number8Player nameOnana
Squad number20Player nameMaupay
Line-upsBrightonFormation 4-2-3-1
23Steele
13Groß4Webster5Dunk30Estupiñán
25Caicedo10Mac Allister
40Buonanotte21Undav22Mitoma
18Welbeck
23Steele13Groß4WebsterSubstituted forColwillat 45’minutes5DunkBooked at 21mins30Estupiñán25Caicedo10Mac Allister40BuonanotteSubstituted forMarchat 45’minutesSubstituted forGilmourat 78’minutes21UndavSubstituted forEncisoat 45’minutes22Mitoma18WelbeckSubstituted forFergusonat 45’minutesSubstitutes1Sánchez6Colwill7March20Enciso26Ayari27Gilmour28Ferguson29van Hecke49MoranEvertonFormation 4-2-3-1
1Pickford
3Patterson13Mina2Tarkowski19Mykolenko
37Garner27Gueye
17Iwobi16Doucouré7McNeil
9Calvert-Lewin
1Pickford3Patterson13MinaBooked at 18mins2Tarkowski19Mykolenko37Garner27GueyeBooked at 25minsSubstituted forOnanaat 87’minutesBooked at 80mins17Iwobi16DoucouréBooked at 56mins7McNeil9Calvert-LewinBooked at 45minsSubstituted forMaupayat 87’minutesSubstitutes4Holgate5Keane8Onana11Gray15Begovic20Maupay26Davies30Coady50SimmsReferee:Simon Hooper
Attendance:31,567
Live TextMatch ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Everton 5.
Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Everton 5.
Goal! Brighton and Hove Albion 1, Everton 5. Dwight McNeil (Everton) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Amadou Onana with a through ball following a fast break.
Lewis Dunk (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Neal Maupay (Everton).
Attempt missed. Levi Colwill (Brighton and Hove Albion) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Pascal Groß with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Dwight McNeil.
Attempt missed. Moisés Caicedo (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Evan Ferguson.
Attempt blocked. Billy Gilmour (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Pascal Groß.
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Vitalii Mykolenko.
Attempt saved. Evan Ferguson (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
Substitution, Everton. Neal Maupay replaces Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Substitution, Everton. Amadou Onana replaces Idrissa Gueye.
Attempt blocked. Billy Gilmour (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Pervis Estupiñán.
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Nathan Patterson.
Attempt missed. Levi Colwill (Brighton and Hove Albion) with an attempt from the right side of the six yard box is too high. Assisted by Kaoru Mitoma following a corner.
Attempt missed. Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the left side of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Pascal Groß with a cross following a corner.
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Nathan Patterson.
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by James Tarkowski.
Attempt blocked. Moisés Caicedo (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Evan Ferguson.
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