Abdoulaye Doucoure scored a brace of first-half goals as relegation-threatened Everton produced a masterclass in counter-attacking football with a surprise 5-1 Premier League victory at Brighton & Hove Albion on Monday.
Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele scored an own goal and Dwight McNeil added two more as Everton cut their hosts apart with lightning quick breaks, and then absorbed huge pressure in the second half, eventually conceding when Alexis Mac Allister netted for the home team.
The Merseyside club moved to 32 points from 35 games, two points clear of the drop zone, as they seek to avoid a first relegation since 1951, while Brighton’s hopes of European football next season were dented and they sit in seventh with 55 points from 33 games.
Everton had under a quarter of the possession in the game, but were excellent in breaking down Brighton attacks and flooding forward on the counter, scoring 10 percent of their Premier League goals this season in a dream first half.
Doucoure’s first came after 34 seconds as he tapped home from close range, before he volleyed in a superb second.
McNeil’s low cross was then directed into his own net by Steele, before the Everton winger added two more in the second half.
Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi made four changes at half-time and his positive move worked as the hosts were much improved, finding a consolation goal when the ball ended up in the back of the net as it ricocheted off the post, onto Mac Allister and in.
