Brighton’s trip to Everton’s new stadium showcased their attacking ambition—but it ended in heartbreak. Despite commanding play and a higher xG, they left with nothing from a tightly contested 2–0 defeat.
They lit up the game with relentless offensive pressure, hitting both the post and the crossbar, yet lacked the finishing touch. A critical moment came when Danny Welbeck’s penalty was saved by Jordan Pickford, an intervention that defined the outcome.
While Brighton’s structural play impressed, it contrasted sharply with Everton’s execution. Their goals came through clinical opportunism—Ndiaye and Garner seizing their chances when they counted. Brighton’s manager lamented the fine margins but remained confident: “We played well and created chances. We must learn from this and improve our edge in front of goal.”
For Everton, the performance—underpinned by disciplined defending and unrivaled finishing—heralds a bright chapter. For Brighton, it’s a bitter lesson in the Premier League’s unforgiving nature, where dominance on the ball doesn’t always translate into results.
