{"id":22886,"date":"2021-08-28T12:32:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-28T16:32:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=22886"},"modified":"2021-08-29T10:24:51","modified_gmt":"2021-08-29T14:24:51","slug":"everton-remain-unbeaten-with-victory-at-brighton","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/irishexaminerusa.com\/wp\/?p=22886","title":{"rendered":"Everton Remain Unbeaten With Victory At Brighton"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Demarai Gray and Dominic Calvert-Lewin fired Everton to a commanding 2-0 win at Brighton as the Toffees extended their unbeaten start to the new Premier League campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everton jumped into the embryonic table\u2019s top four thanks to two wins and a draw, with Gray claiming his second goal of the season and Calvert-Lewin making it three in three games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brazil forward Richarlison had a petulant strop when denied the chance to take a penalty, with Calvert-Lewin instead coolly dispatching the spot-kick.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Boss Rafael Benitez insisted on Friday he was \u201c99.9 per cent\u201d sure Richarlison would stay at Goodison Park despite strong interest from Paris St Germain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 24-year-old appeared ready to tangle with anyone in his way at the Amex Stadium, but looked sharp and certainly never lacked passion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Captain Seamus Coleman won the penalty that Richarlison so wanted to take, and the skipper sorted out the mess for Calvert-Lewin stepping up as per team orders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Benitez won the tactical battle with Brighton counterpart Graham Potter, as the Seagulls surrendered their 100 per cent start to the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brighton\u2019s 3-1-5-1 in possession ultimately left too much stress on the Seagulls when they lost the ball, which in the first half proved far too frequent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The excellent Yves Bissouma was left with too many gaps to plug at the base of midfield when Brighton lost the ball, because his deep-lying partner Adam Lallana was typically stranded too high upfield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Couple that shortcoming with Brighton\u2019s lack of genuine rearguard pace, and Benitez knew exactly how to open up the hosts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The warning signs were there throughout the opening period, despite Brighton creating in fits and starts, albeit without ever cutting loose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the Everton breakthrough came however, it proved alarmingly simple. Gray picked up possession just inside the Brighton half and set off goalwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every time he would have expected to be challenged, no intervention came.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The former Leicester man just put his head down and powered on, and when he breached the box, he simply swept the ball past the helpless Robert Sanchez.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Potter brought on Joel Veltman at the start of the second half, switching to a back four in a bid to spark Brighton into life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The change so nearly yielded immediate dividend, with Veltman rolling in a dangerous low cross that the slipping Leandro Trossard could only scuff when he should have scored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pascal Gross then forced goalkeeper Jordan Pickford into parrying a low-struck free-kick, before Veltman blasted high over the crossbar from 20 yards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veltman\u2019s strong start was entirely undone when he felled the onrushing Coleman to gift Everton a fully-deserved penalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Richarlison shaped to take the spot-kick but was overruled, leaving the Brazil forward enraged and tangling with team-mates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The unruffled Calvert-Lewin ignored the sideshow and slotted home to put Everton 2-0 to the good and in total control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only Lewis Dunk\u2019s last-ditch sliding challenge denied Gray a clear run at a third goal, before Sanchez saved well from Abdoulaye Doucoure.<\/p>\n

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