Premier League | Gameweek 23

Jan 25, 2025 at 3pm UK

Broadfield Stadium

Brighton vs Everton

Match preview

Away from the Amex in recent weeks has helped Brighton get their season back on track after it had begun to show signs of slipping into mediocrity.

After an eight-match winless run in the Premier League, Brighton have now won two in a row, both on the road.

A 2-0 win over Ipswich Town at Portman Road put an end to that drought, before Fabian Hurzeler's men travelled to Old Trafford to see off an out-of-form Manchester United 3-1.

It was the third successive time Brighton had won at Old Trafford and they had done so under three different managers, with Hurzeler joining Roberto De Zerbi and Graham Potter as the Seagulls took all three points at the Theatre of Dreams.

The impact of the 4-0 FA Cup thrashing of Norwich City should not be underestimated either, as it allowed the likes of Georginio Rutter and Yankuba Minteh to rediscover their form and both scored in the win over Man United.

Brighton now sit in ninth place and are back in the hunt for European qualification, just three points off the top seven and six points off the top four.

This weekend offers the hosts the chance to win three Premier League games in a row for the first time in nearly 18 months, but they will need to find that winning spark at the Amex, where they have taken maximum points just three times in 10 games this season.

However, they will go into the game knowing that they have already beaten their next opponents Everton this season, leaving Goodison Park with a 3-0 victory on the opening day.

Brighton have never completed the league double against Everton in 11 previous seasons, and David Moyes will be keen to ensure that continues, with the Toffees having a good recent record at the Amex.

After failing to win in their first four Premier League visits, Everton have now won two of their last three and should have taken all three points here last season, when they inexplicably threw away two in stoppage time against a 10-man Brighton.

Everton supporters will be hoping Moyes can turn around their away form, which has seen them score just once in six games, and there were signs that times are changing last weekend when the Toffees were dominant in their win over Tottenham Hotspur.

The final score may have been 3-2, but it was flattering for a Spurs side who would have been forgiven for going 6-0 down before coming back.

It was Everton's first win since early December, moving them four points clear of the relegation zone and marking their first January win in four years.

A blistering first-half performance also saw the Toffees score three goals in the opening 45 minutes at Goodison for the first time since April 2017, and they also scored two goals from open play in a single game for the first time in nine months.

A second-half slump is nothing new, however, and is something Moyes will have to address as no team has scored fewer goals (seven) or conceded a higher percentage of their goals after the break (68%) than Everton.

A Premier League table that only took into account goals scored in the second half of games would see Everton bottom of the table, so maintaining that level of performance for more than 45 minutes will be a priority.

Recent Performance

Brighton & Hove Albion Premier League form:DDDDWW

Brighton & Hove Albion form (all competitions):DDDWWW

Everton Premier League form:DDLLLW

Everton form (all competitions):DLLWLW

Team News

Brighton are close to welcoming back a number of first-team players from injury, with Evan Ferguson, Mats Wieffer, Brajan Gruda and Jack Hinshelwood all back in training.

However, Hurzeler has been hit by further injuries this week, with Lewis Dunk and Matt O'Riley set to miss out, and the captain's absence means Brighton will have just two fit central defenders.

Igor is out for the season, while Ferdi Kadioglu and James Milner will not return until next month.

Kaoru Mitoma has a fine record against Everton, scoring in two of his last three visits to Goodison, and if he scores again at the Amex he will become the first Japanese player to find the net in three successive Premier League games.

There will be little reason for Moyes to make any changes to his Everton side after last weekend's win, with the players who came into the side impressing.

Jesper Lindstrom caught the eye with his best game in an Everton shirt to date, while summer signing Jake O'Brien made his first league start at right-back and made no mistakes despite playing slightly out of position.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin ended a 16-game goal drought to cement his place in the starting XI, and finding some form in front of goal will be crucial with Armando Broja injured and Beto seemingly out of Moyes' plans.

Everton will be hoping to welcome back Dwight McNeil from injury before the end of the month, while James Garner has also been in full training but will be kept on the sidelines for the time being.

Possible starting lineup

Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:

Verbruggen; Veltman, Webster, Van Hecke, Estupinan; Baleba, Ayari; Minteh, Joao Pedro, Mitoma; Welbeck

Everton possible starting lineup:

Pickford; O'Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Lindstrom, Gueye, Mangala, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Calvert-Lewin