Brighton and Hove Albion lost at home to Everton in what was at times an ill-tempered and certainly controversial encounter.
Sussex-based ref Tim Robinson didn’t originally whistle for hand ball just before the break. He gave a corner, changing his mind only after consulting the VAR screen.
After the break, Brighton applied fairly relentless pressure but couldn’t find a way back into the game – or repeat the back-to-back wins over Ipswich Town and Manchester United.
Everton’s success was only their second top-flight away win in 22 games, going back to December 2023.
The result, on the day of David Moyes’s 700th top-flight match as a manager, eased their relegation fears, coming after their 3-2 triumph over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.
Moyes named an unchanged starting line up but early on, after just 13 minutes, Toffees’ striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin went off injured, having gone down clutching his right hamstring.
Calvert-Lewin, who scored against Spurs six days ago, limped off to be replaced by Beto whose subsequent penalty sealed the result.
Seagulls supporters, who were expecting a free-kick, jeered when the incident was shown on big screens inside the Amex.
To add insult to injury, Ndiaye rolled the ball into the bottom left corner from 12 yards and was then booked for an excessive celebration after mimicking a seagull.
The 42nd-minute spot-kick was the only attempt on target in a largely forgettable half which ended with more boos for the officials from disgruntled home fans.
Brighton boss Fabian Hürzeler, whose reign began with a 3-0 victory at Goodison Park in August, responded to the uninspiring first-half display by fielding Georginio Rutter in place of Brajan Gruda after the interval.
Veltman had a chance from the edge of the box but sliced well wide as he tried to atone for his part in the penalty – and Kaoru Mitoma shot narrowly off target.
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford then tipped over a deflected effort from Joao Pedro – and Jarrad Branthwaite bravely blocked Carlos Baleba’s fizzing drive with his head and an effort from Rutter flashed past the left post.
Everton were pretty much penned back and rarely looked like doubling their lead although one counter-attack ended with Beto blasting the ball wide.
Given the home side’s dominance, Albion will have been disappointed not to have grabbed an equaliser before or during the eight minutes of added time.
Everton were dogged in hanging on to make it six points from nine since Moyes returned to Merseyside to replace Sean Dyche a fortnight ago.
Players from both teams then had to be pulled apart on the pitch during a flashpoint after the full-time whistle.
Next Saturday (1 February) Albion face a lunchtime kick-off at Nottingham Forest who stay third for now despite a 5-0 thumping at Bournemouth today. Brighton remain ninth.
