From the sublime to the catastrophic!
A L B I O N R E P O R T - ( 28 )
8 MAY 2023 -
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 1 ( Alexis Mac Allister)
EVERTON 5 ( Abdoulaye Doucoure 2 Dwight McNeil 2 , Jason Steele 1 OG)
PREMIER LEAGUE -
at the AMERICAN EXPRESS COMMUNITY STADIUM, FALMER.
Following the drama of the 4 May, the Albion welcomed relegation-threatened Everton to the Amex for a Premier League encounter, "live" in front of the BT Sport cameras and broadcast over the airwaves on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
Albion Head Coach Roberto De Zerbi made two changes to his starting line-up from the team which beat Manchester United 1-0 at the Amex on the 4 May, with the fit-again Pascal Gross and Deniz Undav replacing Billy Gilmour and Julio Enciso, the latter two dropping down to the substitutes bench, where they were joined by fit-again striker Evan Ferguson.
Last time out in the Premier, Everton drew 2-2 at Leicester City on the 1 May and for the visit to the South Coast, Manager Sean Dyche made two changes to his starting line-up from that game, with Nathan Patterson and Yerry Mina coming in for Seamus Coleman (injured) and Michael Keane.
Previously this season, in the reverse fixture, the Seagulls won 4-1 at Goodison Park on the 3 January 2023, with their goals coming from Kaoru Mitoma (14m), Evan Ferguson (51m), Solly March (54m) and Pascal Gross (57m). Everton's consolation came from Demarai Gray, penalty (90+2m).
In last season's meetings in the Premier, Everton won 2-0 at the Amex on the 28 August 2021, with their goals coming from Demarai Gray (41m) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, penalty (58m). In the return fixture at Goodison Park on the 2 January 2022, the Albion won 3-2, with their goals coming from Alexis Mac Allister 2 (3m & 71m) and Dan Burn (21m), whilst Everton's goals came from Anthony Gordon 2 (53m & 76m).
Albion could not have made a worse possible start as they found themselves a goal down in 34 seconds, when Kaoru Mitoma carelessly gave up possession of the ball to Nathan Patterson who quickly found Alex Iwobi who immediately helped the ball on to Dominic Calvert-Lewin who raced down the right, leaving the flat-footed Lewis Dunkin his wake before crossing to the unmarked Abdoulaye Doucoure, who fired home to put the Toffees ahead. 0-1.
The visitors came close to adding to their lead on 20 minutes when Iwobi, James Garner and Doucoure combined to set-up Dwight McNeil whose goal-bound shot was blocked by Albion defender Adam Webster.
Another error by the Seagulls enabled McNeil to escape down his left and his long unchallenged run ended with a cross to the far post where Doucoure was waiting to volley the ball past Albion keeper Jason Steele for his and his team's second. 0-2.
On 35 minutes another swift Everton counter-attack ended with McNeil's cross from the left hitting the foot of the badly-positioned Steele and bouncing into the Albion net. The Albion and their supporters were well-stunned at this stage. 0-3.
The Toffees nearly had a fourth just before the break when Steele made a brilliant point-blank save to deny Garner.
Very much a first-half to forget for the Seagulls. Half-time 0-3.
Unsurprisingly, Roberto De Zerbi made four substitutions at the start of the second-half, with Levi Colwill, Solly March, Julio Enciso and Evan Ferguson replacing Adam Webster, Facundo Buonanotte, Deniz Undav and Danny Welbeck.
The changes injected some life into the Albion, the Everton keeper Jordan Pickford making fine saves in tipping Ferguson's header on to the post, then pushing Ferguson's shot on to the bar. Alex MacAllister then saw his shot hit the woodwork before Pickford tipped another Mac Allister effort away for a corner.
From the corner March gave the ball away cheaply, enabling Idrissa Gueye and Iwobi to launch yet another counter-attack which ended with McNeil dribbling past Dunk and Steele before walking the ball into the vacant Albion net. 0-4.
Three minutes later Mitoma's shot rebounded off the post to the prone Mac Allister, the ball ending up in the net off Mac Allister's head. 1-4. The unfortunate March, in trying to retrieve the situation, pulled a hamstring and was replaced by Billy Gilmour.
Former Albion player Neal Maupay came on as substitute for Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the 87th minute. Deep into time added on, a through ball found man-of-the-match McNeil on the left and a superb left-foot thunderbolt ended up in the roof of the Albion net for Everton's fifth. 1-5.
A thoroughly bad day at the office for the Seagulls. Final-score 1-5.
Stats:
Albion had 23 shots at goal, with 5 on target and won 15 corners, free-kicks conceded - 11.
Everton had 10 shots at goal, with 5 on target and won 1 corner, free-kicks conceded - 13.
TO SUM UP - Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong for the Albion. Giving the ball away cheaply, mis-placed passes, poor finishing and goalkeeping errors - it was there for all to see. Albion need to get the foregoing out of their system, before they visit Arsenal on the 14 May.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Jason Steele; Pascal Gross, Adam Webster (Levi Colwill 46), Lewis Dunk (Capt), Pervis Estupinan; Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister; Facundo Buonanotte (Solly March 46) (Billy Gilmour 78), Deniz Undav (Julio Enciso 46), Kaoru Mitoma; Danny Welbeck (Evan Ferguson 46).
Subs not used: Robert Sanchez (G/K), Jan Paul Van Hecke, Yasin Ayari, Andrew Moran.
Everton line-up (4-2-3-1):- Jordan Pickford (Capt); Nathan Patterson, Yerry Mina, James Tarkowski, Vitali Mykolenko; James Garner, Idrissa Gueye (Amadou Onano 87); Alex Iwobi, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Dwight McNeil; Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Neal Maupay87).
Subs not used: Asmir Begovic (G/K), Mason Holgate, Michael Keane, Demarai Gray, Tom Davies, Conor Coady, Ellis Simms.
Referee: Simon Hooper (Wiltshire). Fourth Official: Graham Scott.
Yellow Cards: Albion: 1 - Lewis Dunk.
Everton: 5 - Yerry Mina, Idrissa Gueye, Amadou Onana, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Possession: Albion - 77%. Everton - 23%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Dwight McNeil (Everton).
Attendance: 31567.