Everton 1 Brighton & Hove Albion 4
Albion simply thrashed Everton at Goodison Park this evening with a wonderful performance that outmatched Everton in every department.
Kaoru Mitoma scored Albion’s first goal after being picked out by Moises Caicedo. Mitoma bore down on England keeper Jordan Pickford and fired the ball past him for 1-0.
Evan Ferguson then hit the foot of the post after Mitoma had angled the ball through to him.
Demarai Gray had Everton’s best chance of the first half late on but it was well saved by Robert Sanchez.
Albion’s second-half performance was sublime, not just the goals but the standard of football and the level of entertainment.
It was great work by Jeremy Sarmiento who raced down the touchline and crossed for 18-year-old Ferguson who needed a simple tap in to become the youngest Premier League league striker to score in consecutive matches for 13 years (back in the days when Albion were struggling to beat Leyton Orient).
Just three minutes later Caicedo found Solly March on the edge of the box. He tricked James Tarkowski and fired a shot from the edge of the box to put Albion 3-0 in front.
If Everton thought that Albion might take their foot of the gas, they were wrong. Under pressure from Mitoma, Idrissa Gueye under-hit a pass to Pickford. Pascal Gross pounced and chipped an effort over Pickford to put Albion 4-0 up on 57 minutes, giving the Seagulls their biggest ever top-flight away goals haul.
World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister and Adam Lallana came on for the Seagulls as well as Tariq Lamptey who had the best chance to make it five.
Right at the end Sanchez brought down Alex Iwobi to concede a penalty which Gray converted.
Albion visits Middlesbrough in the FA Cup on Saturday (7 January) before a mouthwatering visit from Liverpool in the Premier League at the Amex on Saturday 14 January
Albion are currently eighth in the Premier League in January.
