GOAL-ACE LOCADIA TOLD HE’S STAYING
BRIGHTON’S £14million man Jurgen Locadia has been told there’s no chance of him leaving in January after scoring the winner in a feisty clash against Everton.
Locadia, who was Brighton’s record signing when he arrived from PSV in January, has been stuck on the bench for the best part of a year.
But since telling Dutch newspapers that he wanted to quit, he has suddenly come alive. Having scored in a draw against Arsenal on Boxing Day the striker put Everton to the sword at the Amex.
And now boss Chris Hughton says he’s there to stay.
“Our thoughts have never been about him leaving,” he said. “He’s a really decent lad and our thinking always was that he was misquoted.
“We are aware that he wouldn’t have been happy not playing, I can understand that. “But he’s knuckled down, trained well and I’m delighted for him. Credit to him.”
Hughton was delighted with his side’s performance as they held off Everton to keep a clean sheet for the first time in 10 Premier League games.
The result leaves them on 25 points, 13th in the table and looking odds-on to stay up again. For Everton, however, the result means four defeats and two draws in their last seven games – and frustration got the better of them at the final whistle. Defender Lucas Digne appeared to shove Brighton striker Glenn Murray as a furious row broke out. Everton boss Marco Silva then had words with referee Andy Madley – but refused to discuss what was said.
“What I told him is to stay between me and him,” he insisted. “It was a tough match for us and for Brighton – and for the referee it was the same. “Lucas is upset, but not just him.
“First because we lost and also because of the referee in some periods of the game.” Silva felt his side created the better chances and that Madley should not have played on when Richarlison was lying injured in the second half.
But Brighton worked hard for their win. Home-grown captain Lewis Dunk led the way with a strong display, while left-back Bernardo looks an outstanding prospect.
And then there was stand-in keeper David Button.
There were a few worries when first-choice Matty Ryan headed to the Asian Cup with Australia.
But despite a nervy start Button succeeded in keeping a clean sheet – something Ryan hadn’t managed for months. Hughton said: “I’m delighted for him. It’s never easy coming in at this stage in the season and following Matty who has been excellent. “The clean sheet will do him the power of good.”
A cagey and mistake-ridden first half of few chances made this match a slow burner. Brighton didn’t manage a shot on target while Everton’s only hopes came when Richarlison had an effort cleared off the line and a shot saved – both after Brighton gave the ball away.
But the intensity rose after the break.
Florin Andone almost put Albion ahead from a 57th minute corner but was denied by a stunning close-range save from Jordan Pickford.
And that was a warning sign which the visitors failed to heed.
A couple of minutes later another corner from Pascal Gross came off Andre Gomes’ shin and fell perfectly for Locadia to fire home.
Suddenly the game was alive as Button deflected a Richarlison shot on to the post seconds later to deny Everton an equaliser.
Silva brought on Gylfi Sigurdsson, Dominic CalvertLewin and, eventually, Oumar Niasse, in a bid to find a way back into the match.
But luck wasn’t on their side when Kurt Zouma’s header came back off the crossbar with four minutes to go.
Brighton 1 Everton 0 Chris Hatherall