Everton Send Brighton Packing As Jack Grealish Ignites Win In Club’s New Home

Hill Dickinson Stadium, Everton’s play and Jack Grealish’s bid to reignite his profession are each up and running. The on-loan winger from Manchester City delivered 2 assists successful a sparkling location debut for David Moyes’ squad arsenic Brighton were beaten successful awesome fashion. Everton and Grealish looked astatine location successful their sleek caller surroundings.

There was unit and anticipation connected Everton to service up a capacity befitting nan first Premier League crippled astatine nan £800m arena. They did not disappoint. Grealish group up some goals, for Iliman Ndiaye and James Garner, and departed to a opinionated ovation erstwhile substituted successful nan 94th minute. Fabian Hürzeler’s visitors had capable chances to person spoiled Everton’s expansive day, including from nan punishment spot, but were not objective aliases convincing erstwhile it mattered. Jordan Pickford saved Danny Welbeck’s spot-kick to guarantee location would beryllium nary first-day nerves among those successful royal blue.

The designer responsible for nan finest improvement on nan Liverpool waterfront successful decades, Dan Meis, flew successful from Los Angeles to witnesser nan completion of what he called: “a agelong and affectional journey”. Evertonians made clear their appreciation for Meis’s imagination erstwhile he was introduced to nan crowd earlier kick-off. The measurement went up respective notches erstwhile Grealish’s sanction was announced successful an Everton starting lineup for nan first time. Grealish would beryllium nan designer of nan historical first Premier League extremity astatine Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Moyes’ broadside started brightly, arsenic nan juncture demanded, but it wasn’t agelong earlier Grealish was gesturing to his caller protect colleagues to refrain from pumping hopeful agelong balls retired from nan back. Brighton’s much patient, meticulous shot took hold, and they could easy person been 2 goals up anterior to falling behind.

Kaoru Mitoma was centimetres distant from opening nan scoring erstwhile James Tarkowski misjudged nan formation of Bart Verbruggen’s clearance from nan Brighton punishment area. The Everton captain’s mistake, and it wouldn’t beryllium his last, fto Mitoma successful connected goal. The Japan world controlled his keeper’s transportation connected his chest, flicked nan shot backmost complete nan caput of Tarkowski and swept a thunderous volley against nan crossbar. Brighton came again seconds later. Yankuba Minteh muscled Idrissa Gueye disconnected nan shot adjacent nan byline and picked retired Welbeck unmarked successful nan six-yard box. Welbeck, disconnected equilibrium and pinch nan shot somewhat down him, scooped a glorious opportunity complete Pickford’s goal.

Everton quickly capitalised connected nan fto offs. A flowing move from correct to near saw 1 caller signing, nan industrious Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, induce another, Grealish, to onslaught Brighton’s exposed right-back Mats Wieffer. The winger obliged successful style and pinged an inviting transverse to nan acold station for Ndiaye to volley location astatine adjacent range. It was different spot successful nan Everton history books for Ndiaye, nan first convention extremity astatine Hill Dickinson Stadium serving arsenic a neat bookend to having scored nan last convention extremity astatine Goodison Park.

Moyes’ squad were reprieved doubly much earlier nan interval. Brighton struck nan woodwork for a 2nd clip erstwhile Jan Paul van Hecke’s 25-yard thrust deflected disconnected Grealish and rebounded disconnected a station pinch Pickford beaten. In first-half stoppage clip Tarkowski, who conceded nan precocious punishment that culminated successful Everton’s conclusion astatine Leeds connected Monday, played successful Matt O’Riley pinch a dreadful backmost pass. O’Riley attempted to information Pickford but nan England world saved astatine his feet. Tarkowski was a fortunate and highly grateful man.

Jordan Pickford saves Danny Welbeck’s punishment to thief Everton declare a maiden triumph astatine their caller home. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

Everton started without a recognised full-back for nan 2nd crippled successful succession. Brighton telegraphed their scheme to target Garner astatine left-back from nan first whistle but nan midfielder not only responded defensively, he besides doubled nan hosts’ advantage superbly soon aft nan restart. Grealish again provided nan assist. Brighton appealed for offside against Thierno Barry erstwhile Everton collapsed down nan correct but play continued pinch Gueye uncovering Grealish connected nan other flank. The winger, whose past assistance for City came successful September 2024, teed up Garner to sprout from distance. His debased effort flew done Minteh’s legs and wrong Verbruggen’s adjacent post. Hill Dickinson Stadium ignited.

Everton protected their lead successful comparative comfortableness – Carlos Baleba’s departure from nan Brighton midfield undoubtedly helped their origin – until conceding different punishment to handball pinch 15 minutes remaining. This clip Dewsbury-Hall was penalised for handling Minteh’s shot. It was a overmuch clearer determination than Monday’s astatine Elland Road but pinch a different outcome. Pickford publication Welbeck’s unconvincing spot-kick perfectly to prevention nan eighth Premier League punishment of his career.

Grealish should person departed pinch a hat-trick of assists but, having laid 1 connected a sheet for Dwight McNeil, nan substitute scuffed his changeable successful beforehand of Verbruggen’s goal. But Everton would person nary complaints. The cleanable start.