Everton send Brighton packing as Jack Grealish ignites win in club’s new home

Hill Dickinson Stadium, Everton’s season and Jack Grealish’s bid to reignite his career are all up and running. The on-loan winger from Manchester City delivered two assists in a sparkling home debut for David Moyes’ team as Brighton were beaten in impressive fashion. Everton and Grealish looked at home in their sleek new surroundings.

There was pressure and expectation on Everton to serve up a performance befitting the first Premier League game at the £800m arena. They did not disappoint. Grealish set up both goals, for Iliman Ndiaye and James Garner, and departed to a standing ovation when substituted in the 94th minute. Fabian Hürzeler’s visitors had enough chances to have spoiled Everton’s grand day, including from the penalty spot, but were not clinical or convincing when it mattered. Jordan Pickford saved Danny Welbeck’s spot-kick to ensure there would be no first-day nerves among those in royal blue.

The architect responsible for the finest development along the Liverpool waterfront in decades, Dan Meis, flew in from Los Angeles to witness the completion of what he called: “a long and emotional journey”. Evertonians made clear their appreciation for Meis’s vision when he was introduced to the crowd before kick-off. The volume went up several notches when Grealish’s name was announced in an Everton starting lineup for the first time. Grealish would prove the architect of the historic first Premier League goal at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Moyes’ side started brightly, as the occasion demanded, but it wasn’t long before Grealish was gesturing to his new defensive colleagues to refrain from pumping hopeful long balls out from the back. Brighton’s more patient, accurate football took hold, and they could easily have been two goals ahead prior to falling behind.

Kaoru Mitoma was centimetres away from opening the scoring when James Tarkowski misjudged the flight of Bart Verbruggen’s clearance from the Brighton penalty area. The Everton captain’s mistake, and it wouldn’t be his last, let Mitoma in on goal. The Japan international controlled his keeper’s delivery on his chest, flicked the ball back over the head of Tarkowski and swept a thunderous volley against the crossbar. Brighton came again seconds later. Yankuba Minteh muscled Idrissa Gueye off the ball near the byline and picked out Welbeck unmarked in the six-yard box. Welbeck, off balance and with the ball slightly behind him, scooped a glorious opportunity over Pickford’s goal.

Everton quickly capitalised on the let offs. A flowing move from right to left saw one new signing, the industrious Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, invite another, Grealish, to attack Brighton’s exposed right-back Mats Wieffer. The winger obliged in style and pinged an inviting cross to the far post for Ndiaye to volley home at close range. It was another place in the Everton history books for Ndiaye, the first league goal at Hill Dickinson Stadium serving as a neat bookend to having scored the final league goal at Goodison Park.

Moyes’ team were reprieved twice more before the interval. Brighton struck the woodwork for a second time when Jan Paul van Hecke’s 25-yard drive deflected off Grealish and rebounded off a post with Pickford beaten. In first-half stoppage time Tarkowski, who conceded the late penalty that culminated in Everton’s defeat at Leeds on Monday, played in Matt O’Riley with a dreadful back pass. O’Riley attempted to round Pickford but the England international saved at his feet. Tarkowski was a fortunate and extremely grateful man.

View image in fullscreen Jordan Pickford saves Danny Welbeck’s penalty to help Everton claim a maiden victory at their new home. Photograph: Nick Potts/PA

Everton started without a recognised full-back for the second game in succession. Brighton telegraphed their plan to target Garner at left-back from the first whistle but the midfielder not only responded defensively, he also doubled the hosts’ advantage superbly shortly after the restart. Grealish again provided the assist. Brighton appealed for offside against Thierno Barry when Everton broke down the right but play continued with Gueye finding Grealish on the opposite flank. The winger, whose last assist for City came in September 2024, teed up Garner to shoot from distance. His low effort flew through Minteh’s legs and inside Verbruggen’s near post. Hill Dickinson Stadium ignited.

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Everton protected their lead in relative comfort – Carlos Baleba’s departure from the Brighton midfield undoubtedly helped their cause – until conceding another penalty to handball with 15 minutes remaining. This time Dewsbury-Hall was penalised for handling Minteh’s shot. It was a much clearer decision than Monday’s at Elland Road but with a different outcome. Pickford read Welbeck’s unconvincing spot-kick perfectly to save the eighth Premier League penalty of his career.

Grealish should have departed with a hat-trick of assists but, having laid one on a plate for Dwight McNeil, the substitute scuffed his shot in front of Verbruggen’s goal. But Everton would have no complaints. The perfect start.

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