Everton v Brighton: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Everton get their new Premier League campaign underway at home to Brighton on Saturday and the Toffees will be hoping to build on last season's 15th-place finish.

Brighton will also be looking for some improvement under new manager Fabian Hurzeler who, at 31 years of age, is the youngest ever full-time boss of a Premier League team.

The Seagulls finished 11th last season, not helped by having to balance domestic duties with a Europa League campaign, while they won only one of their final 10 top-flight matches.

This will be the Toffees' final campaign at Goodison Park, with a new home Bramley-Moore Dock in place for the 2025-26 season, so Sean Dyche will be demanding his side make it a fortress once again.

Everton v Brighton betting tips and predictions

Draw - 23/10

Brighton were the Premier League’s draw specialists last season, finishing all-square in 12 of their 38 matches, which included both meetings with Everton- both finishing as 1-1 draws.

The Seagulls shared the spoils in three of their final four away league games last term and they may settle for a point in their first competitive fixtures under Hurzeler, who arrives carrying a big reputation following his time in charge of St. Pauli.

It may look like a risky appointment on paper, with Hurzeler still inexperienced at only 31 years of age, but Brighton rarely get it wrong in the managerial department, having enhanced the reputations of both Graham Potter and Roberto De Zerbi in recent years.

But it is unlikely to bring about instant success and Everton showed last season that, when under pressure, Goodison Park can be a fortress for them and any team has to play well to escape with even a share of the spoils.

The Toffees were in grave relegation danger at one point last season, but they won their final five home league matches to nil, which included a well-deserved 2-0 success over bitter rivals Liverpool.

In fact, Dyche’s men lost only three of their final 15 home league outings, with those reverses coming against Manchester clubs City and United, as well as West Ham.

That highlights their tenacity at home and they excelled defensively, conceding only 18 goals at Goodison - a number bettered only by Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal.

That is largely down to how well organised Dyche has his team and 13 clean sheets in 38 games shows the difficulty Brighton will face in trying to breaching the determined home defence.

Seven of Everton’s final nine league games last season went under 2.5 goals and a low-scoring contest would enhance the chances of a draw, something that could be considered a positive result for both sides.

Abdoulaye Doucoure to be shown a card - 11/4

With Amadou Onana leaving for Aston Villa, Abdoulaye Doucoure will become even more important in midfield for Everton and by the end of last season he was one of their most crucial assets.

Seven league goals and an average of 1.61 shots per game last season highlighted his increasing attacking involvement, but he may have to do more of the graft in midfield with Onana having moved on.

With Brighton being a team that likes to keep possession, the 31-year-old could be forced to commit a few fouls and last season he conceded 53, more than any other Everton player.

Doucoure was shown seven yellow cards in 35 appearances, which included in the 1-1 draw at home to Brighton, while in the 2022-23 campaign he collected seven bookings from 27 starts, also being cautioned in the home fixture against Albion.

Dwight McNeil to have a shot on target - 1/1

Having also worked under him at Burnley, Dyche has great faith and trust in Dwight McNeil and that was rewarded with a string of excellent performances at the back end of last season.

Despite being still only 24 years of age, McNeil boasts heaps of Premier League experience and last season he had 57 shots in 35 appearances. Only the injury-prone Dominic Calvert-Lewin (73) was more productive in that department for the Toffees.

Of those 57 shots, 15 hit the target and he looks a nice price to register another effort on goal against Brighton, especially considering he is an almost guaranteed starter on the left side of Everton’s midfield.

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Everton v Brighton odds

Everton - 17/10
Brighton - 8/5
Draw - 23/10

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.