Daily Times

BRIGHTON: Abdoulaye Doucoure scored a brace of first-half goals as relegation threatened Everton produced a masterclass in counter-attack 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 intense 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 23 percent 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, finishing off a low cross after being set up by the excellent Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Another quick Everton break saw McNeil cross for Doucoure to net a superb second with an excellent volley from 12 yards. McNeil’s low cross was then directed into his own net by Steele, before the Everton winger added two more in the second half, also from quick counter-attacks. Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi made four changes at halftime and his positive move made for a vastly improved home team after the break, but despite being camped around the Everton box, they managed only one goal through Mac Allister.