24 AUGUST 2025
EVERTON 2 BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION 0
PREMIER LEAGUE
at the
HILL DICKINSON STADIUM, BRAMLEY-MOORE DOCK, MERSEYSIDE.
For their first away trip of the season, the Albion travelled to Merseyside to meet Everton in a Premier League game at their new home, the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Bramley-Moore Dock. It was Everton's first-ever competitive match at their new ground following their departure from Goodison Park.
The game was covered "live" by Sky Sports, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio Sussex Sport.
In their opening-day fixture of the campaign the Seagulls had drawn 1-1 at home to Fulham on the 16 August and for the trip to Everton, Head Coach Fabian Hurzeler had to make one enforced change to his starting line-up from the Fulham game, with Danny Welbeck coming in for the injured Georginio Rutter.
In their first game of the season Everton had lost 0-1 at newly-promoted Leeds United on the 18 August. For Albion's visit, Manager David Moyes made two changes to his starting line-up from the Leeds game, with Jack Grealish (on loan from Manchester City) and Thierno Barry given their first starts in place of Charly Alcaraz and Beto.
Last season in the Premier, it was honours even, as the Albion won 3-0 at Goodison Park on the 17 August 2024, In the return game at the Amex on the 25 January 2025 it finished 1-0 to the Toffees, with the winning goal being a penalty by Iliman Ndiaye (42m).
Despite the new stadium bounce it was the Albion who started the better of the two teams and they should have gone ahead during the first twenty minutes of play. First, Kaoru Mitoma was unlucky to see his superb volley from the edge of the box strike the top of the Everton crossbar and bounce away, with keeper Jordan Pickford well beaten.
Next, Yankuba Minteh crossed the ball to Danny Welbeck who somehow contrived to scoop the chance over the bar from six yards out - a glaring miss.
On 23 minutes, the home side took the lead when some static defending permitted the classy Jack Grealish to cross low from the left to the far post where the alert Iliman Ndiaye was on hand to tap the ball home.
Ironic that it was Ndiaye who also scored the last goal at Goodison in May should score the first competitive goal at the new stadium. 0-1.
Prior to the break the Seagulls created two further chances as Jan Paul Van Hecke's shot from 25 yards out smashed against the post and away and then Matt O'Riley latched on to James Tarkowski's short back pass but Pickford made a smart save to preserve his team's lead. A bad half for the Albion in regard to those chances not taken.
Half-time 0-1.
The second-half started badly for the Seagulls as a nice move by the Toffees ended with Grealish squaring the ball to James Garner who fired a low shot from 25 yards out past a helpless Bart Verbruggen into the Albion net on 52 minutes for Everton's second. 0-2.
The home side were now content to settle on their lead but on 75 minutes the Albion were offered a lifeline when Referee Stuart Attwell ruled that Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall had handled Minteh's shot. From a short run-up by Welbeck, Pickford parried the penalty-kick and then pounced on the rebound to complete the save. Sort of summed up Albion's bad day at the office.
Prior to the final whistle, Everton substitute's Dwight McNeil and Beto failed to convert chances which would have compounded Albion's misery.
Final-score 0-2.
Match stats:
Albion had 13 attempts at goal, with 4 on target and won 2 corners, free-kicks conceded - 15.
Everton had 11 attempts at goal, with 3 on target and won 2 corners, free-kicks conceded - 7.
VERDICT - Missed chances, a missed penalty and giving away preventable goals - a recipe for failure and this was one of those days. Things need to change and it would be handy having some strikers on the bench in order to shake things up.
Oxford United away in the Carabao Cup and then Manchester City in the Premier will test Albion's ability to bounce back.
Albion line-up (4-2-3-1):- Bart VERBRUGGEN; Mats WIEFFER (Brajan GRUDA 85), Jan Paul VAN HECKE, Lewis DUNK (Capt), Maxim De Cuyper (Ferdi KADIOGLU 67); Carlos BALEBA (Jack HINSHELWOOD 46), Yasin AYARI (Diego GOMEZ 67); Yankuba MINTEH, Matt O'RILEY, Kaoru MITOMA; Danny WELBECK.
Subs not used: Jason STEELE (G/K), Joel VELTMAN, James MILNER, Olivier BOSCAGLI, Diego COPPOLA.
Everton line-up (4-2-3-1):- Jordan PICKFORD; Jake O'BRIEN, James TARKOWSKI (Capt), Michael KEANE, James GARNER; Tim IROEGBUNAM (Dwight McNEIL 71), Idrissa GUEYE; Iliman NDIAYE (Charly ALCARAZ 64), Kiernan DEWSBURY-HALL, Jack GREALISH (Harrison ARMSTRONG 94); Thierno BARRY (BETO 64).
Subs not used: Mark TRAVERS (G/K), Seamus COLEMAN, Tyler ONYANGO, Youssef CHERMITI, Elijah CAMPBELL.
Referee: Stuart Attwell (Warwickshire).
Fourth Official: Tom Nield.
VAR Official: James Bell.
Yellow Cards:
Albion: 3 - Mats Wieffer, Maxim De Cuyper, Ferdi Kadioglu.
Everton: 4 - James Garner, Tim Iroegbunam, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Beto.
Possession: Albion - 58%. Everton - 42%.
BBC Sport Player of the Match: Jack Grealish (Everton).
Attendance: 51759.
ALBION'S AUGUST 2025 FIXTURES:
27 AUGUST - OXFORD UNITED - AWAY - CARABAO CUP, SECOIND ROUND - Albion won 6-0!
31 AUGUST - MANCHESTER CITY - HOME - PREMIER LEAGUE - KICK-OFF 14.00. "LIVE" ON SKY SPORTS;