Brighton & Hove Albion 1-5 Everton: Abdoulaye Doucoure, Dwight McNeil score twice to move Toffees out of relegation zone

Everton took a step towards safety with a thrilling 5-1 win over Brighton at the Amex Stadium to lift themselves out of the relegation zone.

Sean Dyche’s side came into the match under immense pressure with their top-flight status in jeopardy but stunned the in-form Seagulls with three goals in a dominant first half before adding the finishing touches late on to move up to 16th in the table, two points clear of danger.

The result is a blow to Brighton’s aspirations of qualifying for Europe, with the Seagulls missing the opportunity to leapfrog Tottenham in sixth.

For all the plaudits Roberto De Zerbi’s side have rightly enjoyed of late, they showed a frailty and a naivety up against their well-drilled opponents.

From the off, Everton’s intentions to sit deep and hit Brighton on the break was apparent, but the hosts did nothing to stem the tide in a bonkers first half.

Alex Iwobi stole possession from kick-off and fed Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who turned and found Abdoulaye Doucoure for the simplest of goals to silence the Amex faithful after just 34 seconds.

And for all Doucoure’s first was straightforward, his second was anything but. Once again, it stemmed from a Brighton attack, but when Adam Webster’s pass was intercepted, Everton broke with the speed and confidence of a team far higher up the table.

Dwight McNeil charged up the left flank before floating a ball into the box for Doucoure to volley past Jason Steele, who had no chance in goal.

Six minutes later, Steele’s misery was compounded when he turned the ball into his own net from a McNeil cross.

De Zerbi rung the changes at half-time, with the hosts threatening to reduce their arrears but for the heroics of Jordan Pickford and the width of the crossbar that denied Alexis Mac Allister in the 66th minute.

Fittingly, however, it was McNeil who sealed the deal. The 23-year-old was a constant thorn in the Seagulls’ side and deservedly got on the scoresheet in the 78th minute when he rounded the Brighton keeper to tap into an empty net for 4-0.

Mac Allister hit back with a consolation as Brighton fans poured out the stadium before McNeil lashed in a late fifth to round off an impressive day for the visitors.

Up next for Brighton is a trip to Arsenal in what should be a high-quality battle between two brilliant teams, while Everton welcome Manchester City to Goodison.

TALKING POINT – EVERTON SEAL HUGE THREE POINTS

This result could not have come at a better time for Everton and Sean Dyche. The Toffees were without a win in eight games and had a fixture with Manchester City to look forward to next time out, meaning their trip to the south coast took on extra significance. Lose and it could have spelt the end of their survival hopes.

PLAYER OF THE MATCH – DWIGHT MCNEIL

There were superb showings all over the pitch for the visitors, but McNeil was at the heart of just about everything great Everton did. He caused Brighton constant problems, bagging himself two assists and two goals in a stunning showing.

Even in the 96th minute, he had the energy to get onto the end of a brilliant pass from Iwobi, before continuing his run into the box and smashing the ball into the roof of the net to cap off a five-star performance.

PLAYER RATINGS

BRIGHTON: Steele (4), Estupinan (5), Caicedo (5), Dunk (5), Webster (4), Gross (6), Mac Allister (6), Mitoma (6), Buonanotte (5), Undav (5), Welbeck (5). Subs: Colwill (5), March (6), Enciso (5), Gilmour (N/A), Ferguson (6).

EVERTON: Pickford (8), Patterson (7), Mykolenko (6), Mina (6), Tarkowski (7), Gueye (7), Garner (6), Doucoure (8), McNeil (9), Iwobi (8), Calvert-Lewin (7). Subs: Onana (N/A), Maupay (N/A).

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

1′ – GOOOAALLL! WHAT A START FOR EVERTON: Well that didn’t take long. Brighton are caught in possession and Iwobi feeds Calvert-Lewin. The Englishman turns brilliantly before picking out Doucoure for the simplest of finishes with just 34 seconds on the clock. 1-0 Everton. Incredible!

29′ – WHAT A FINISH! DOUCOURE DOUBLES EVERTON’S LEAD: It’s double delight for Doucoure. Webster delays and sees his pass intercepted, allowing Everton to break. McNeil takes it on up the left before picking out Doucoure at the back post. He still has it all to do, but his first-time volley is exquisite and gives Steele no chance in the Brighton goal. 2-0 Everton.

35′ – GOOAAALLL! EVERTON LEAD 3-0: Everton are in dreamland here and it all stems from a Brighton attack again. Iwobi breaks and tries to find Doucoure but overhits his pass. He recovers the ball well and passes to McNeil, who fires a cross in that is diverted into the Brighton goal by Steele. What a bonkers game. Everton are 3-0 up!

66′ – OFF THE BAR: Ferguson shifts it brilliantly out of his feet and fizzes a shot from a tight angle that Pickford does well to get his fingertips to. From the corner, Mac Allister’s glancing header has Pickford beaten, but the crossbar rescues The Toffees.

75′ – WHAT A SAVE: That is so good from Pickford. Caicedo picks out Mac Allister in the box and the World Cup winner steers a bullet header towards the near corner but Pickford stretches and somehow keeps it out.

76′ – GOAL! MCNEIL MAKES IT FOUR: From a Brighton corner, Everton break for the first time in the second half. March pulls up chasing Iwobi, before the former Arsenal man picks out McNeil, who rounds Steele and taps the ball into an empty net. Game over.

79′ – GOAAAALLLL! BRIGHTON PULL ONE BACK: What a crazy game the Amex faithful have been treated to. No sooner do The Toffees go 4-0 up than the the hosts pull one back. A deep cross is met by Mitoma, whose strike hits the post before rebounding into the net off Mac Allister. Game on?

90+6′ – WHAT A STRIKE! MCNEIL MAKES IT 5-1: Doucoure finds McNeil with a superb pass and the midfielder decides to go alone, shifting the ball onto his left foot and fizzing a shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle. 5-1! A statement victory.

KEY STATS

• Doucoure’s goal after 34 seconds is the earliest Brighton have ever conceded in the Premier League.
• Everton registered back-to-back away wins against Brighton in the league for the first time.