Everton Extend Unbeaten Home Run With Hard-Earned Brighton Win

LIVERPOOL, United Kingdom- Richarlison’s delicious first-half strike settled a highly-charged Goodison Park contest in Everton’s favour – and extended the Blues’ unbeaten home run to a fourth match.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side had a number of chances to add to their lead – they had 14 shots to Brighton’s nine – but had to survive a flurry of nervy episodes late in the game.

Everton, denied a fifth-minute penalty following a VAR review, came close again through Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison.

But they were indebted to Jordan Pickford for a terrific late stop from Glenn Murray to preserve their lead.

Everton claimed the advantage their superiority merited seven minutes before half-time.

Richarlison continued his run into the penalty area after passing to Bernard and, via Lucas Digne’s low delivery, reclaimed possession 12 yards from goal.

The Brazilian spun with one deft left-foot touch and scored with his right boot, planting a precise finish past Mat Ryan.

Everton started the match at a fair lick and really thought they were due a penalty after five minutes when Theo Walcott appeared to be the victim of a tug from Lewis Dunk in the area.

Calvert-Lewin injected impetus into the move with a smart flick on Djibril Sidibe’s pass to find Richarlison.

His first-time ball found Walcott racing behind Dunk, who seemed to instinctively reach out, unbalancing the Everton player.

Referee David Coote opted against pointing to the spot and a VAR review – which was a while coming after the ball refused to go out of play – backed up the man on the field.

Chances for Brighton to escape their own half were in short supply, with striker Neal Maupay a lonely soul at times during a first half Everton dominated.

Tom Davies spoke this week of wanting to dictate the tempo of matches and his energy and bite were valuable in the hosts’ midfield.

Bernard, meanwhile, was supplying guile by the bucketload.

His return pass for Richarlison was a mite too hard and enabled Ryan to smother.

Another crafty pass for Calvert-Lewin played in the striker behind Adam Webster but too tight to the dead-ball line to produce anything of note.

There was a shot from Bernard, too, but only after the South American employed some dazzling footwork to befuddle two Brighton defenders.

The ball alighted with Bernard about 20 yards out after Gylfi Sigurdsson’s free-kick was half cleared.

As defenders rushed to block, Bernard feinted and walloped a shot which thudded into towering centre-back Webster.