Match ends, Everton 4, Brighton and Hove Albion 2.
EvertonEverton4BrightonBrighton & Hove Albion2
Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored his ninth goal of the season and James Rodriguez netted twice as Everton beat Brighton to make it four Premier League wins from four for the impressive table-topping Toffees.
However, it was another game that will prompt questions about the quality of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford for both club and country.
All was going well for the home side after Calvert-Lewin rose highest to head in at the back post to cap another excellent week that saw him score his second hat-trick of the season and earn a first call-up to the senior England squad.
But in the closing stages of a first half in which he had barely been tested, England keeper Pickford dropped a tame bouncing ball at the feet of Neal Maupay, who then slotted the ball in on the turn.
The heavy rain during the match was undoubtedly a contributing factor but the poor error comes not long after the shocking mistake he made in the Carabao Cup win at Fleetwood.
Thankfully for the home side, they were able to reclaim the lead before the break when Rodriguez picked out fellow Colombian Yerry Mina, who headed in from a free-kick.
And it was Rodriguez who put the game beyond Albion, firstly sliding in to finish off Alex Iwobi's chipped cross at the back post then finding space in the same area to tap home Abdoulaye Doucoure's pass.
Brighton were able to claim a consolation through a superb Yves Bissouma strike in added time but they have now lost three of their first four games.
They can argue they deserved to take something from the defeats by Chelsea and Manchester United, but they can have no complaints about this.
Aside from Pickford's form, the only other negative for Carlo Ancelotti's side was losing forward Richarlison to injury in the first half.
Everton lead the division, having taken 12 points from 12, but could be overtaken this weekend by Leicester and Liverpool, who both play on Sunday.
- Action and reaction from Everton v Brighton, plus the rest of Saturday's Premier League action
- Lawro's predictions v Man City and Scotland midfielder Weir
Brilliant at one end, but issues at the other
Since joining Everton from Sheffield United in August 2016, Calvert-Lewin has played under six managers, the first of which, Ronald Koeman, occasionally played him at right wing-back and tasked him with providing opportunities for others.
Now, though, under the tutelage of Ancelotti, he is developing into a supreme finisher and the side is set up to supply him.
Earlier in the season, in reference to the striker, Ancelotti harked back to his time as boss of AC Milan, when Filipo Inzaghi made the predatory one-touch finish an artform.
Calvert-Lewin is not at that level yet, but you can see the shared DNA. One early chance, gifted to him by an error from Bissouma, saw him quickly get the ball out of his feet and fire a shot that Mat Ryan had to palm away.
His opening goal - converted at the back post from Gylfi Sigurdsson's cross - looks simple on the surface, but is a testament to positioning, prowess and the ever-growing understanding of the service he needs from a team that has come a long way from some of the limp, directionless displays of last season.
Rodriguez is a big factor in that and the Colombian has now been directly involved in six goals in his five games for Everton in all competitions this season.
The Toffees have scored 24 goals in their seven games of the campaign, currently more than any other side in Europe's top five leagues.
Things are not quite so rosy at the other end of the pitch, though.
Pickford, who looked shaky throughout the game, gifted Brighton their equaliser and could easily have presented them with another goal when he palmed out a cross to Maupay for a shot that Tom Davies blocked.
And it is not a new problem - Pickford has made 11 errors leading to goals in the Premier League since his debut for Everton in August 2017, more than any other goalkeeper in that time.
Everton's superb attacking talent compensated for his big mistake on Saturday, but his form will be a concern to Ancelotti and England manager Gareth Southgate with three international fixtures coming up this month.
'This is the moment of Dominic Calvert-Lewin now'
Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti, speaking to MOTD: "Brighton played well. We played well also. We managed the situation of the game well. We had composure defensively and had opportunities on the counter attack. The performance was complete and this was the reason we deserved to win."
On James Rodriguez: "As I said on the first day, the players with quality have not a problem with that (settling in). The quality is there because football is not so complicated. The pitch is always the same, the opponents are always 11, the ball is the same, the goal doesn't move. Football is simple. It is not complicated."
On Dominic Calvert-Lewin's impressive start to the season: "There is not just one reason. He is confident, we are seeing him improving and he is scoring goals and that is the most important motivation for a striker. This is the moment of Dominic Calvert-Lewin now."
Brighton boss Graham Potter: "I don't think Everton had so many chances but we helped them, second half certainly. To concede just before half time was a blow for us and then we didn't start the second half so well.
"I think we contributed a little bit to our downfall today and that is something we need to be better at.
"We have conceded all our goals against Chelsea, Manchester United and Everton and they are want you consider to be top sixish teams."
Everton replicate title-winning start from 1969-70
- Everton have won each of their opening four games to a top-flight season for the first time since 1969-70, when they went on to win the title.
- Everton have won their first seven games in all competitions in a season for the first time since 1894-95 (won first eight).
- Brighton remain winless away at Everton in all competitions, drawing two and losing seven of their nine visits.
- This game saw three Colombians start a Premier League match for the first time (James Rodríguez and Yerry Mina for Everton and Steven Alzate for Brighton), with Mina's goal the first in the competition scored and assisted (Rodríguez) by two Colombians.
- Since the start of last season, Everton striker Calvert-Lewin has scored seven headed goals in the Premier League, more than any other player.
- Since his Everton debut in August 2017, Gylfi Sigurdsson has registered 13 assists in the Premier League, more than any other player for the Toffees (Digne next on 12).
- Maupay has scored four goals in his last three Premier League appearances, as many as he managed in his previous 22 in the competition.
Player of the match
RodríguezJames Rodríguez
with an average of 8.82
Everton
Avg
- Squad number19Player nameRodríguezAverage rating
8.82
- Squad number9Player nameCalvert-LewinAverage rating
8.33
- Squad number13Player nameMinaAverage rating
7.65
- Squad number16Player nameDoucouréAverage rating
7.50
- Squad number12Player nameDigneAverage rating
6.80
- Squad number10Player nameG SigurdssonAverage rating
6.80
- Squad number17Player nameIwobiAverage rating
6.75
- Squad number23Player nameColemanAverage rating
6.72
- Squad number5Player nameKeaneAverage rating
6.70
- Squad number7Player nameRicharlisonAverage rating
6.52
- Squad number26Player nameDaviesAverage rating
6.43
- Squad number8Player nameDelphAverage rating
6.16
- Squad number11Player nameWalcottAverage rating
5.21
- Squad number1Player namePickfordAverage rating
3.52
Brighton & Hove Albion
Avg
- Squad number9Player nameMaupayAverage rating
6.05
- Squad number2Player nameLampteyAverage rating
5.66
- Squad number14Player nameLallanaAverage rating
5.66
- Squad number20Player nameMarchAverage rating
5.55
- Squad number8Player nameBissoumaAverage rating
5.44
- Squad number11Player nameTrossardAverage rating
5.39
- Squad number7Player nameConnollyAverage rating
5.37
- Squad number13Player nameGroßAverage rating
5.28
- Squad number34Player nameVeltmanAverage rating
5.25
- Squad number5Player nameDunkAverage rating
5.12
- Squad number1Player nameRyanAverage rating
5.03
- Squad number17Player nameAlzateAverage rating
4.96
- Squad number3Player nameWhiteAverage rating
4.91
- Squad number4Player nameWebsterAverage rating
4.82
Line-ups
Everton
Formation 4-3-3
- 1Pickford
- 23ColemanSubstituted forDelphat 58'minutes
- 13Mina
- 5Keane
- 12Digne
- 16Doucouré
- 26Davies
- 10G Sigurdsson
- 19RodríguezSubstituted forWalcottat 78'minutes
- 9Calvert-Lewin
- 7RicharlisonSubstituted forIwobiat 25'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Delph
- 11Walcott
- 17Iwobi
- 18Nkounkou
- 20Bernard
- 24Gordon
- 49Lössl
Brighton
Formation 3-4-2-1
- 1Ryan
- 3White
- 5Dunk
- 4Webster
- 2LampteySubstituted forVeltmanat 45'minutes
- 8Bissouma
- 17AlzateBooked at 4minsSubstituted forGroßat 82'minutes
- 20March
- 11Trossard
- 9Maupay
- 7ConnollySubstituted forLallanaat 66'minutes
Substitutes
- 10Mac Allister
- 13Groß
- 14Lallana
- 23Steele
- 30Bernardo
- 33Burn
- 34Veltman
- Referee:
- Simon Hooper
Match Stats
Home TeamEvertonAway TeamBrighton
- Possession
- Home43%
- Away57%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away11
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away10
- Fouls
- Home13
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Everton 4, Brighton and Hove Albion 2.
Post update
Attempt missed. Leandro Trossard (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from outside the box is too high following a corner.
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Lucas Digne.
Goal!
Goal! Everton 4, Brighton and Hove Albion 2. Yves Bissouma (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Solly March with a headed pass.
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Yerry Mina.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Neal Maupay (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Leandro Trossard.
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Yerry Mina.
Post update
Foul by Yves Bissouma (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Post update
Fabian Delph (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Hand ball by Solly March (Brighton and Hove Albion).
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Yerry Mina.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Leandro Trossard (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Solly March.
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Yerry Mina.
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Fabian Delph.
Substitution
Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Pascal Groß replaces Steven Alzate.
Post update
Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Fabian Delph.
Post update
Neal Maupay (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton).
Substitution
Substitution, Everton. Theo Walcott replaces James Rodríguez.
- Working from home: Expert tips on avoiding damaging posture
- Step Into The Ring: Meet the young UK wrestlers fighting their demons
Comments
Join the conversation
As said Carlo Ancelotti when he took over at Goodison Park in December last year.
So will his dream come true?
Vote UP for YES
Vote DOWN for NO
Please get realistic
We play Liverpool in 2 weeks its all about how close we can get to them
The last 2 years the gap was huge
take our time and we will see build the team and go from there
I’m not even an Everton fan, but I can appreciate a good bit of business when I see one.
There has been a PL match without a penalty!
Repeat - a PL game with no penalties!
Hopefully they’ll now have the confidence to attack against Liverpool in the derby and well have a great game.
They’ve definitely got an outside chance for the top 4 but a lot will depend on Calvert-Lewin and Rodriguez staying fit and how many clangers Pickford makes.
We had to rotate a few players and still played well.
Pickford is going down the Joe Hart path.. sad to see, but he’s not good enough.
The signings this season have been nothing short of a master stroke.
We have a team with bottle and quality.
I know it’s early doors. It’s impossible to not get excited about our future.
If they don't make sure you know from their username they will ALWAYS tell you in their comments.