Everton player ratings and scores after the Premier League match against Brighton & Hove Albion at Hill Dickinson Stadium
ECHO Everton reporter Chris Beesley has covered Everton and Liverpool both in the Premier League and abroad since 2005. He cut his teeth in professional sports journalism at the Ellesmere Port Pioneer and then the Welsh edition of the Daily Post, where he also covered Manchester United. Prior to that he worked on the student newspaper Pluto at the University of Central Lancashire, a role in which he first encountered David Moyes. Chris is well-known for his sartorial elegance and the aforementioned Scottish manager once enquired of him at a press conference: "Is that your dad's suit you've got on?" while the tradition continued in 2023 with new Blues boss Sean Dyche complimenting him on his smart appearance.
Iliman Ndiaye celebrates scoring his team's first goal with teammate Jack Grealish during the Premier League match between Everton and Brighton & Hove Albion at Hill Dickinson Stadium on August 24, 2025
(Image: Clive Mason/Getty Images))
Everton’s new era at Hill Dickinson Stadium got off to a rousing start as they defeated Brighton & Hove Albion 2-0 in their first competitive game at their new home on the Mersey waterfront.
Iliman Ndiaye – who had netted Everton’s final two goals at Goodison Park – made history when he fired Everton in front from a Jack Grealish cross midway through the first half after a slick passing move. Although the Blues rode their luck with Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma rattling the crossbar, a Jan Paul van Hecke shot hitting the post, and James Tarkowski handing the visitors a golden opportunity on a plate with a no-look back pass that was intercepted by Matt O’Riley, David Moyes’ men doubled their lead on 52 minutes.
Again, Grealish was the creator as he did well to find James Garner who arrowed a long-range shot beyond Bart Verbruggen’s reach. The visitors were handed a lifeline with a handball by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall resulting in a penalty but Jordan Pickford guessed correctly to save a low effort from Danny Welbeck.
Jordan Pickford 9
Almost took the roof off Hill Dickinson Stadium after holding his nerve and saving from the penalty spot to deny Danny Welbeck, he’d also saved Everton’s bacon on the stroke of half time by gobbling up a Matt O’Riley chance handed on a plate by James Tarkowski’s inexplicable no-look back pass while he also twice denied Yasin Ayari.
Jake O’Brien 7
Was up against the tricky Kaoru Mitoma and had his work cut out but defended stoutly and was able to get forwards a bit more after the break.
James Tarkowski 5
Was unfortunate at Leeds United but the Everton captain created his own problems here with an inexplicable no-look back pass towards Pickford that was intercepted by O’Riley having earlier been caught out by Kaoru Mitoma with a ball over the top that saw the Japan international rattle the crossbar.
Michael Keane 8
Like Tarkowski, he didn’t cover himself in glory in the move leading to Mitoma’s chance but overall he remains a steady option alongside his skipper with Jarrad Branthwaite out and stood up strongly here.
James Garner 8
A fish out of water at left-back again but wasn’t overrun, working hard to help his team where they need him right now and was rewarded with a spectacular first goal in front of the South Stand from distance to double Everton’s lead.
Idrissa Gueye 7
Got caught out by Yankuba Minteh to allow the Brighton winger to put an early cross in but redeemed himself with a cleverly weighted pass in the move for the goal and is still the dominant figure for Everton in the engine room.
Tim Iroegbunam 6
Went off with cramp and while he wasn’t always great with his distribution, he worked hard off the ball, making a brave block on the edge of the area when Brighton threatened and was booked for a heavy challenge on Ayari.
Iliman Ndiaye 8
Wrote his name into the history books with the first goal in a competitive game at Hill Dickinson Stadium, starting and finishing a slick team move to open the scoring with a smart back post finish and looked lively throughout on the right wing before having to leave the action with what looked like a thigh problem.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall 7
Gave away a penalty for handball, having – unlike Tarkowski at Leeds – raised his arm, continuing in the number 10 role as Everton’s most attack minded central midfielder, he brings fresh scope to the role compared to predecessor Abdoulaye Doucoure with his ability to pick a pass and we saw that with his measured distribution to find Grealish to set up Ndiaye to score.
Jack Grealish 9
An instant impact from the debutant as he put Ndiaye’s chance on a plate for him to open the scoring, he was a thorn in the side of Brighton’s defenders from the start with his determined dribbling and picked up a second assist after the break to find Garner after some fancy footwork while also working hard out of possession.
Thierno Barry 7
Could have done better with a couple of headed chances but he brings a different element to Everton’s attack and the move for the goal started with him holding the ball up well.
Substitutes
Beto (on 64 for Barry) 6
Stretched the legs of Brighton’s defenders in the game’s final quarter but could have done better with a chance when ushered wide by Dunk and then from the McNeil rebound.
Charly Alcaraz (on 64 for Ndiaye) 6
Entered the fray in nicer circumstances to his last outing at Leeds and kept things ticking over.
Dwight McNeil (on 73 for Iroegbunam)
First outing of the season after Iroegbunam went off with cramp and should have given Grealish a third assist when he picked him out.
Harrison Armstrong (on 90 for Grealish)
His stoppage time introduction allowed Grealish to get a standing ovation while ensuring we had a Scouser on the pitch for this historic occasion.