All change, but no change for Roberto

NO messing around from Roberto De Zerbi. Trailing 3-0 at half-time, the Brighton boss made four — yes, four — substitutions as Evan Ferguson, Julio Enciso, Solly March and Levi Colwill were all introduced. The lethargy from Brighton in the first half made you wonder how much that midweek 1-0 win over Manchester United took out of them. They could not handle Everton’s energy and their passing was unusually poor. Brighton lost possession 74 times, making this their sloppiest first half of 2023 when you thought the slick surface from a downpour on the south coast would suit their neat style of play.

EVERTON’S travelling support did their best to drown out God Save the King by singing their own anthem, the renowned terrace chant Spirit of the Blues. The dissent was to be expected after the racket from Liverpool fans at Anfield on Saturday.

The away end here was in superb voice, especially as Everton defended their lead in the second half.

IF YOU want to give yourself a headache, try wrapping your head around how the Belgian First Division works. Union Saint-Gilloise –— the other club owned by Brighton’s Tony Bloom (above) — finished second in the regular season. But USG are now in a mini-tournament with their fellow top-four teams. Each clubs’ points total is halved and they face each other to decide who enters which European tournament. And while Brighton chase a place in Europe, UEFA prohibit clubs owned by the same person from competing against each other. Yet there are ways to circumvent these rules — just look at the Red Bull outfits.

34 ABDOULAYE DOUCOURE’S goal after only 34 seconds was the earliest goal Premier League by ever conceded Brighton.