Everton baffle Match of the Day vs Brighton: ‘I’m not sure that’s happened this season’
David Moyes will want to see more of the second-half display that Everton showed against Brighton on Saturday.
The Toffees travelled to the Amex Stadium in hopes of another major win on the road in the Premier League.
Beto’s late goal stole a point for Everton, as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall impressed on his return to the starting eleven.
Moyes has been without Jack Grealish due to the Manchester City loanee’s foot injury, and is suffering from a lack of chance creation.
The Blues’ first-half showing versus Brighton really proved that.
Steph Houghton baffled by Everton’s attack in first 45 vs Brighton
Moyes started with the trio of James Garner, Idrissa Gana Gueye, and Harrison Armstrong, which on first glance, may have seemed like a negative setup.
But the Everton boss is restricted to who he can use at the moment due to injuries and other players not performing well.
But travelling Bluenoses must’ve been worried after what they saw from their team after the first 45 minutes had been played.
Everton’s first-half stats vs Brighton:
- Possession: 42%
- Shots: zero
- xG: zero
- Touches in opposition’s box: five
- Final third passes: 44
While speaking on Match of the Day, pundit Steph Houghton dissected the Toffees’ performance in both halves of the game, and was particularly shocked by Everton in the first 45.
Houghton said: “Everton’s touches in the first half were very, very limited, an xG [expected goals] of zero, which, I’m not sure that’s happened this season.
“There was a certain change in Everton’s approach in the second half; they were more direct, and everything seemed to be quicker, and [Kiernan] Dewsbury-Hall was initiating that.”
Moyes will be hoping that Dewsbury-Hall can now build on what was a promising performance back in the team after injury.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall by the numbers vs Brighton; he’s changed the transfer picture
Dewsbury-Hall had been out injured since coming off in Everton’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea back in December, and only made his first appearance in the 1-1 draw against Leeds on Monday.
After getting 45 minutes in his legs against the Whites, Moyes decided to start the attacking midfielder against Brighton, where he came alive in the second half.
| Minutes | 79′ |
| Pass accuracy | 85% |
| Dribbles completed | 2 |
| Big chances missed | 1 |
The 27-year-old was unfortunate not to get on the scoresheet when Jordan Pickford denied him in the second half, as Moyes needed to hook him to keep his star man fit.
But, with Dewsbury-Hall’s return and Everton entering the final few days of the winter market, the Toffees may look for additions elsewhere in attack.
Stay up to date this winter with our Everton transfer tracker. Click to see every done deal at Hill Dickinson, plus expert reaction from our team of writers.