ONLY GOAL STEPHENS HAS NOW IS TO WIN

BRIGHTON midfielder Dale Stephens says hearing the final whistle for a 1-0 victory now gives him just as much pleasure as scoring a goal.

The 29-year-old plays the 300th league match of his career as Brighton pitch up at Everton today on the back of three successive single-goal wins in October.

So although the man in the Seagulls’ engine room admits he has sacrificed hitting the net for the good of the team, he reckons he’s finding his personal highs elsewhere.

And that’s just as well – because he hasn’t scored a league goal since

December 2016 against Blackburn.

Stephens (above) said: “I’d rather sacrifice myself scoring in order for the team to be solid and for us to win 1-0.

“Of course my goalscoring record will suffer for it, but I don’t mind at all.

“When you’ve come under a lot of pressure on a Saturday and you’ve still picked up three points, then when the final whistle goes I think that’s exactly the same feeling as scoring a goal. It’s good enough for me.”

Chris Hughton’s team aim to make it four wins in a row for the first time in the Premier League at Everton’s expense – and a clean sheet with be their top priority.

“Defence has been key for us,“said Stephens, who once scored 10 goals for Oldham in 2010-11 and seven for Brighton in 201516. “I would definitely trade scoring goals for winning games.”

Brighton will still be without injured pair Pascal Gross and Davy Propper, and are unlikely to change a winning formula.