Everton v Brighton preview: Toffees hunt for first win since October

With 2023 set to be the last full year Everton occupy Goodison Park, they will be eager to start off on the right foot to keep their 69-year unbroken elite status alive.

A 2-1 loss at home to Wolves in Everton’s last home outing was a particularly gut-wrenching experience though, marking a second defeat across the Toffees’ previous three home games to see them net first. In turn, even a promising start against visitors Brighton may not be the key to victory, despite Everton’s curiously strong return from their last four Premier League (PL) home games to kick off at 7.45pm or later (W3, D1).

Overall, 2022 was a much better year for Brighton, who remain in pursuit of European football, despite going down 4-2 to Arsenal last time out. But the result still had its own positives, as it was Brighton’s sixth straight goalscoring PL outing and they rallied despite a 3-0 deficit at the hour mark, even without World Cup-winning star Alexis Mac Allister.

He was undoubtedly a huge miss on New Year’s Eve, and the plethora of rumours about a January move for the Argentine have the potential to be disruptive, as Brighton look to net multiple goals before the break for a fourth time in six PL road trips. The Seagulls did just that exactly 12 months ago too, when 2022 also started with a trip to Goodison Park, with Mac Allister’s brace helping his side to a maiden win at the famous old stadium (3-2).

Players to watch: Demarai Gray netted a world-class equaliser at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, meaning that his last three goalscoring league matches have seen Everton recover points (W1, D2). But if he’s thwarted, boyhood Evertonian and ex-Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana could pounce, after opening the scoring in Brighton’s last two PL away games.

Hot streak: None of Everton’s previous six ‘year-first’ home games have ended level (W2, L4).