Everton Start New Era At Hill Dickinson Stadium With 2-0 Win Over Brighton

Last Updated:August 24, 2025, 21:05 IST

Iliman Ndiaye and James Garner struck for the Toffees either side of half-time as Jack Grealish claimed two assists on his first Everton start.

Everton beat Brighton in first home game of 2025-26 Premier League season. (Picture Credit: AP)

Everton’s new era at the Hill Dickinson Stadium began brightly with a 2-0 win over Brighton in front of nearly 52,000 fans on Sunday.

Iliman Ndiaye and James Garner scored for the Toffees on either side of half-time, with Jack Grealish assisting both goals on his first Everton start.

Brighton regretted a series of missed opportunities, including a penalty miss by Danny Welbeck. The Seagulls remain winless this season.

Everton are a work in progress, with David Moyes eager to make more additions to his squad in the final week of the transfer window.

However, signs of a promising future were evident on a day that had been years in the making.

Only four clubs have won more English top-flight titles than Everton’s nine.

However, they have not won a major trophy in 30 years and spent their final seasons at Goodison Park, their home since 1892, battling relegation.

Grealish has been the marquee new addition to Moyes’ squad and showed glimpses of the talent that prompted Manchester City to pay Aston Villa £100 million ($135 million) for him four years ago.

Ndiaye scored the final goal at Goodison Park against Southampton in May and made more history with the first goal at Everton’s new home.

Grealish created the goal with a drilled left-foot cross that Ndiaye timed his run perfectly to meet at the back post on 23 minutes.

Brighton should have been well ahead by that point and will be wondering how they left Merseyside empty-handed.

Kaoru Mitoma struck the bar after a flick over James Tarkowski before volleying towards goal.

Welbeck then skewed over with the goal open from Yankuba Minteh’s cross.

Even after conceding, the visitors could have gone in ahead at half-time.

Jan Paul van Hecke’s deflected shot came back off the post.

Matt O’Riley then failed to capitalise on Tarkowski’s poor pass back as Jordan Pickford rushed off his line to block.

Brighton’s wastefulness was punished again seven minutes into the second half.

Grealish was credited with another assist, but Garner did the hard work as his blistering strike from outside the box flew past Bart Verbruggen’s outstretched hand.

Pickford’s penalty heroics

Brighton were offered a lifeline 15 minutes from time when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall blocked Minteh’s shot with an outstretched arm.

Pickford, however, ensured there was no spoiling Everton’s big day as he dived to his left to stop Welbeck’s spot-kick.

At Selhurst Park, the points were shared in a 1-1 draw between Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest amid an off-field feud between the clubs.

Palace supporters were angered by what they perceived as Forest’s interference in their demotion by UEFA from the Europa League to the Conference League.

Forest benefited from Palace’s punishment for a breach of multi-club ownership rules as they moved up to the Europa League at the Eagles’ expense.

A lively atmosphere grew even louder as Ismaila Sarr turned in Daniel Munoz’s cross to open the scoring.

Forest’s preparations were overshadowed by uncertainty over the future of manager Nuno Espirito Santo.

The Portuguese coach said on Friday his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis had deteriorated, and the odds on him being the first Premier League manager of the season to be sacked were slashed.

The visitors responded to secure a point when Callum Hudson-Odoi fired home from Dan Ndoye’s pass.

(With inputs from AFP)

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First Published:

August 24, 2025, 21:05 IST

News sports Everton Start New Era At Hill Dickinson Stadium With 2-0 Win Over Brighton

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