Brighton's Danny Welbeck reacts after Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (R) saved his penalty at Hill Dickinson Stadiumplaceholder image
Brighton's Danny Welbeck reacts after Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (R) saved his penalty at Hill Dickinson Stadium
Here’s how the Seagulls rated on an historic day at the Hill Dickinson Stadium
Brighton suffered a painful 2-0 loss as Everton started life in their impressive new Hill Dickinson Stadium with a victory against the Seagulls.
Everton’s loan signing from Manchester City, Jack Grealish, added the class with two assists as goals from Iliman Ndiaye and Garner sealed the historic win.
Brighton though could easily have been two-up. Yankuba Minteh was a menace down the right flank and his run and cross teed-up Danny Welbeck on 15 minutes, who somehow scooped the ball over the bar from close range.
Kaoru Mitoma was then desperately unlucky as the Japan international cracked a brilliant volley against the bar. Jordan Pickford was well beaten and it would have been a fine first goal to grace the new stadium.
Fabian Hurzeler's team were made to pay. Grealish teased Albion full back Mats Wieffer before pinging a cross to the far post and Ndiaye tapped home for a first ever Premier League goal at their new home.
Brighton refused to sit back and Jan Paul van Hecke saw his long-range effort hit the post via a deflection and Matt O'Riley really should have scored after he latched on to James Tarkowski's back pass.
Jack Hinshelwood came on for Carlos Baleba at halftime but a hammer blow soon arrived. On 52 minutes Idrissa Gueye's excellent first time pass found Grealish, who teed-up James Garner and his low shot from 25 yards evaded Bart Verbruggen's outstretched right hand. Verbruggen will be disappointed with that.
Hurzeler needed something to go his way, anything… And their chance came when Minteh's powerful effort crashed into the arms of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
A penalty was awarded but Danny Welbeck's tame effort was saved. Matt O'Riley, who scored from the spot last week against Fulham, was the first to console him.
Hurzeler looked to his bench but with Georginio injured, Joao Pedro and Simon Adingra sold and Evan Ferguson on loan in Italy, Brighton lacked game-changing options. Van Hecke was up front for the final stages.
Here’s how the Seagulls rated…
Bart Verbruggen 5: Little he could do with the first goal but he will be disappointed not to get a hand on the second. He was down in time but mis-judged the flight.
Mats Wieffer 5: It was always going to be a tough ask for Wieffer up against Grealish on his home debut. He was just a whisker away from stopping his cross for Everton's opener. Booked and little in the way of attacking threat.
Lewis Dunk 6: The skipper was defensively solid and decent enough in possession.
Jan Paul Van Hecke 6: Cracked the post with a deflected effort and defended pretty well. He played up front in the final stages.
Maxim De Cuyper 6: Booked in the first half after a tangle with Ndiaye and was replaced by Kadioglu on 65 minutes.
Yasin Ayari 5: The Sweden international was below his best today and was replaced by Gomez on 66 minutes.
Carlos Baleba 5: Still seems to be struggling with a knee issue that he sustained in pre-season. Looked a little laboured in the first half and didn't appear after the break.
Matt O'Riley 6: Picked up some dangerous positions and neat enough in possession. But he really should have buried a chance just before the break after latching on to Tarkowski's poor backpass. Why didn’t he take the penalty?
Yankuba Minteh 8: Brighton best player by a mile. Electric pace down the right and had the beating of Garner all day.
Danny Welbeck 5: The veteran striker should have scored from Minteh's cross in the first half as he fired over from close range. The ball was slightly behind him in his defence. He then missed a penalty which could have set up a nervy finale.
Kaoru Mitoma 6: The Japan international was so unlucky with a volleyed effort that rattled against the bar. A lovely cross with the outside of his foot to set up Minteh which resulted in the penalty
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