Match Preview
Updated Everton travel to the Amex Community Stadium this weekend to take on Brighton, the scene of arguably their most surprising and impressive result of the 2022-23 season.
With a performance that was a world away from their stolid display against Crystal Palace on Monday evening, Sean Dyche’s Toffees blew the Seagulls away with a counter-attacking masterclass and returned to Merseyside 5-1 victors.
The three precious points picked up that evening were vital in keeping Everton in the Premier League last season and, depending on the outcome of last month’s appeal against the 10-point deduction and the second independent commission into the club’s second alleged breach of Profitability and Sustainability Rules, a win on Saturday could prove to be just as important.
The Blues come into the weekend sitting above Luton Town and the relegation zone on goal difference but have the chance to gain ground on the likes of Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Brentford above them, depends on how results go this match week.
Much might depend on the fitness of Abdoulaye Doucouré, who returned from a month on the sidelines against Palace but looked well short of match readiness during his 72 minutes on the field.
Along with Dwight McNeil, who has also looked jaded and below par for most of 2024 so far, Doucouré was the architect of Everton’s demolition of Brighton nine months ago and you would imagine that both would be key to Dyche’s men getting a result on the south coast again.
That May night last year was a chastening experience for Roberto de Zerbi and he will, no doubt, be taking measures to avoid a repeat but he is unlikely to sacrifice the Seagulls’ open and expansive way of playing and that should leave space for Everton to exploit.
The Blues then will be exepecting the chances to arise, something that has been particularly problematic in recent weeks, especially for Dominic Calvert-Lewin, whose goal drought is verging on being a psychological millstone around the striker’s neck.
He has a decent goalscoring record on this ground, however, and while he didn’t score in this fixture last season, he was instrumental in the goal-fest. The feeling is that the tide has to turn for him sometime, so why not this weekend?
Everton have a minor injury doubt over as they prepare for the trip south. The Ukrainian sustained a knock during Monday’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace, and will be assessed before the squad leaves for the south coast, but Sean Dyche is hopeful that he will be fit enough to play.
Meanwhile, Seamus Coleman has rejoined the group having missed Monday’s game through illness. With only one day’s training since then, however, he may not be completely ready to start.
That could mean Ben Godfrey retaining his place at right back, a role he has fulfilled for the past three games but many Evertonian eyes will be on right-wing, where Ashley Young was largely ineffective against Palace, and on central midfield, where Amadou Onana was a big miss until he was introduced after 66 minutes.
Onana should be fit to start this time and while James Garner looks due for some overdue rest, Dyche will be loathe to lose his industry and potential to be the creative heartbeat of the side so he could either be preferred to Idrissa Gueye or moved out wide.
Brighton will be without Solly March, Kauro Mitoma, James Milner and Joao Pedro due to injury, while Jack Hinshelwood is being assessed for an ankle problem that looks likely to sideline him for a while yet but Julio Enciso looks set to be passed fit.
Everton’s away performances under Dyche have, on the whole, been decent and their last Premier League win came away from home on 16th December at Burnley. Europe-chasing Brighton will be an altogether more difficult proposition but the way the manager sets his side up is better geared towards playing on the break and in transition.
In terms of performance, the only way is up after Monday’s bore draw. Three points would be marvellous and provide a real shot in the arm; one would do.
Kick-off: 3pm, Saturday 24 February 2024
Referee: Tony Harrington
VAR: David Coote
Last Time: Brighton & Hove Albion 1 – 5 Everton
Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Godfrey, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Onana, Garner, Harrison, McNeil, Doucouré, Calvert-Lewin