Everton will take on Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday (04 November) and Chris Sutton has predicted a win for the home side.
The Toffees are heading into this game on the back of a convincing 3-0 victory against Burnley, and they are aiming to make it three wins in a row in all competitions.
Sean Dyche’s side is brimming with confidence at the moment, and Sutton thinks the Toffees will secure a 2-1 win on Saturday at Goodison Park.
The popular pundit told BBC Sport that Everton may have found the blue-print to defeat Brighton. They were “absolutely superb” on the counter-attack when they won 5-1 at the Alex Stadium last season, and Sutton expects a similar sort of performance this week.
Brighton have made a strong start to the season under Roberto de Zerbi but they are struggling to keep clean sheets at the moment. Everton aren’t playing well at home, but they are capable of raising their levels at Goodison Park.
“I was at the Amex Stadium in May when Everton stunned Brighton with a 5-1 win that went a long way to keeping them up last season,” said Sutton.
“If you want a blueprint for beating Brighton, it is the way Everton beat them then – they were absolutely superb on the counter-attack.
“The Toffees’ home form has been poor this season but they did beat Burnley in the EFL Cup in midweek and, generally, their recent performances everywhere have been decent. They have definitely improved and maybe even turned a corner compared to a few weeks ago.
“I’m expecting Sean Dyche to take the same approach as he did in May, and look to hit Brighton on the break again.
“He won’t compromise, even though his side are at home this time, and neither will Seagulls boss Roberto de Zerbi in the way his team always plays. Like Burnley, Brighton don’t keep clean sheets – although they will probably both get one now – so I am going with Dominic Calvert-Lewin to make the difference for Everton.”
Calvert-Lewin is key
The victory against West Ham away from home should give enough confidence to the Toffees. Sutton is absolutely spot on that Brighton do tend to struggle against sharp counterattacks.
That is why Dominic Calvert-Lewin could play a big role in this game. The England striker has struggled with fitness in recent years, but he is showing signs of returning to his old best.
If Calvert-Lewin stays fit, Everton can expect to avoid another relegation battle. A victory here will put them in a comfortable position, and Sutton feels that Calvert-Lewin can make the difference between the two sides.
