Weekend of surprises shows Brighton point at Everton a good one
Results across the Premier League at the weekend brought plenty of surprises, including a number of teams in the top six failing to win. What those results show is that a point against an improving Everton was actually a good result for Brighton.
Take Spurs for example, who lost their unbeaten record after going down 4-1 to Chelsea on Monday night. When Tottenham took an early lead, you might have thought it was going to be another bad game for the Blues.
Mind you, there would have needed to be a stewards’ enquiry had Chelsea lost as Spurs ended the game with only nine man. As Jamie Carragher said, it was “a box office game.”
Sunday saw Liverpool need a late equaliser to draw with Luton Town. Aston Villa were beaten at Nottingham Forest. Newcastle defeated Arsenal on Saturday and West Ham went down to Brentford.
Before Everton and the Albion kicked off, Manchester United were desperately lucky to beat Fulham when Bruno Fernandes got a goal in the 97th minute. To watch the celebrations which followed, anyone would think United had just won the FA Cup.
So to Merseyside, where Everton under Sean Dyche seem to have settled and are beginning to move up the table. We will not go over the result back in May at the Amex; nobody needs reminding, other than to say it is a sign that no game against the Toffees is easy.
We were informed by Johnny Cantor and Warren Aspinall of BBC Radio Sussex it was typically dull and wet November afternoon. Roberto De Zerbi made five changes as he continues to give all the squad a chance to play and show their qualities.
Those in the starting XI would have Dominic Calvert-Lewin to contend with. Brighton know only too well how he can be lethal in the air when wide players put balls into the box.
There was plenty of talk before kick off about how this could be the last time the Albion play at Goodison Park. Everton’s new stadium built at Bramley-Moor Dock in Vauxhall is scheduled to open in 2024.
Goodison of course is a real old-fashioned stadium and with its redevelopment, another major piece of football history will be gone.
However, our beloved and faithful BBC Radio Sussex team will not miss the place. The commentary box has not room to even swing a cat around, leading to Johnny and Warren losing circulation in the lower part of their body when they have to sit down in the cramped position.
One thing they do seem to like about Goodison, however, is that they get given an Everton Mint every time they visit. This is apparently a black-and-white humbug-like sweet. Hopefully, the tradition continues into the new stadium.
Just before 3pm and the teams emerged from the tunnel to the all-familiar sound of the Z Cars theme tune. The song brings back memories from watching Z Cars on television; I never dreamed as a child that I would actually drive and crew a Surrey Police Z Victor 1 Police car.
Warren no doubt had different memories on hearing the music, being a former Everton player who would have listened to it every time he was at Goodison.
Respect was shown prior to kick off for the upcoming Remembrance Day. Representatives of the Royal Air Force, the Army and the Royal Navy all laid wreaths in the centre circle and the both team’s shirts adorned the famous red poppy.
Bart Verbruggen was called into action early on, making a great save from close range to prevent Abdoulaye Doucoure giving Everton an immediate lead.
The reprieve did not last long. In the seventh minute, Vitaliy Mykolenko had a shot parried by Verbruggen straight back to him.
Mykolenko’s second attempt deflected off the leg of Lewis Dunk and caught Verbruggen wrong footed, giving the Toffees the lead.
Brighton have a good track record of fighting and clawing back a goal or two but they fond it tough to get behind the Everton defence.
It needed a set piece to find a way through. Simon Adingra was fouled and Pascal Gross took a free kick from the right, delivering it high into the home box.
Dunk met it with a right foot volley and Jordan Pickford stood no chance. An amazing free kick and an even better finish from Dunk.
You know what is coming next though. Yes, it was checked by VAR and found to be offside. What a great shame as Dunk will probably never score another goal as good as that.
The Albion captain had to take one for the team at the other end by picking up a yellow card and conceding a free kick on the edge of the D. Luckily, Everton fired the chance over the bar.
Going into half time and the statistics showed Brighton with 83 percent possession having made 483 passes to the Toffees’ 93.
De Zerbi would need to find a way to drum into his side that they needed to turn possession into at least one goal. Poor Evan Ferguson had barely been mentioned.
Adam Lallana was replaced by Joao Pedro, who could become the first ever Brighton player to play for Brazil after receiving an international call up. What an honour for Pedro.
With the rain continuing to fall and starting to cut up the turf, Dunk went close early in the second half with a free kick saved by Pickford. One day soon, Dunk is going to hit the back of the net with one of those.
As the game entered its final 10 minutes, I began to think the Toffees were going to see it out. But then Kaoru Mitoma suddenly came to life with six minutes remaining.
The Japanese Bullet Train produced his wizardry on the left, cut inside and drilled a cross which took a Rick O’Shay off Ashley Young. The ball defied Pickford and Brighton were level thanks to an own goal.
Following the equaliser, the game was played at a faster pace as Everton tried to find a winner. The Albion though hung on for a good point made to seem even more valuable when the rest of the weekend’s results came in.
Had Arsenal won, Brighton would have remained sixth in the table. Instead, it is seventh spot with 18 points. Most of us would have taken that at the start of the season after 11 games, right?
Tony Noble @Noble1844Tony
After a Christmas stocking filler for an Albion supporter. Then look no further…
Seagulls Best Ever Season Volume 2 charts Brighton’s record breaking 2022-23 campaign through the eyes of Tony Noble, an East Stand Upper season ticket holder at the American Express Stadium. It is available from Waterstones, WHSmith, Amazon Bookstore and all good bookshops as well as the Albion Superstore at the Amex and via this link.
