Preview: Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Everton - prediction, team news, lineups

The fixture has huge importance for both clubs, with Brighton aiming for Europe and the Toffees clinging onto their top-flight status.

Match preview

Brighton moved one step closer to ensuring continental football for the first time in the club's history with a dramatic late win over Manchester United on Thursday.

After an impressive performance against a side almost guaranteed of Champions League football, Roberto De Zerbi's side were rewarded after Luke Shaw's late handball gifted Alexis Mac Allister the chance to grab the winner with a 99th-minute penalty.

Those three points moved Brighton ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and Aston Villa into sixth, as the Seagulls still have two games in hand on all three of their Europa League challengers.

Out of all the sides chasing the minor European places, Brighton's run-in is the most difficult on paper by some distance though, as they still have to face all of the top three.

Trips to Arsenal and Newcastle United are to come after this encounter, before their final game in hand comes at home to Manchester City, who look formidable at the moment.

That places huge importance on them getting the job done here against a struggling side they are heavily fancied to beat.

Brighton have taken 22 points from a possible 24 when facing sides in the bottom half at the Amex so far this season, and have five clean sheets from their last six home matches.

They have the upper hand over Everton at the moment too, having won 3-2 and 4-1 in their last two meetings with the Toffees.

The thrashing of their upcoming opponents at Goodison Park back in January means Brighton have the opportunity to complete a league double over Everton for the first time in their history.

Everton's dire away form means that has a high probability of happening, as the relegation-threatened side failed to win on the road once again last Monday at fellow strugglers Leicester City.

Sean Dyche's side failed to capitalise on a number of gilt-edged chances as they drew 2-2 at the King Power Stadium, a result which could prove very costly given their tricky run in.

In one of Everton's better performances over the past few months, they had the better of the opportunities, but Dwight McNeil and notably Dominic Calvert-Lewin squandered golden chances with the goal at their mercy in the first half.

It remains no surprise that Everton are still the lowest scorers across the professional English pyramid with just 27 goals this season.

Even when they do score though, they still cannot find enough to win the game, as three of their last five away games have seen them score twice, but draw on each occasion.

Monday's draw extended their winless Premier League run on the road to 13 matches, as out of the 17 clubs who have played in the top-flight for the past two seasons, no side has won fewer, scored fewer and taken fewer points than Everton.

One bit of optimism for the Everton supporters to take into this game is that Dyche has never lost away at the Amex as a manager in five previous matches, and a point here would be very welcome considering the Toffees welcome Manchester City to Goodison Park next.

Brighton & Hove Albion Premier League form:

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L

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L

W

W

Brighton & Hove Albion form (all competitions):

L

W

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L

W

W

Everton Premier League form:

D

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L

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L

D

Team News

De Zerbi has rotated his Brighton side to great effect in recent weeks as their calendar becomes extremely congested.

Solly March was rested in midweek after Kaoru Mitoma and Mac Allister also started from the bench in the thrashing of Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

Evan Ferguson remains a major doubt for this one with De Zerbi unwilling to take a risk on the teenager with so many games still left to play in a short space of time.

Pascal Gross missed the win over Man United and will require a late fitness test here, while Joel Veltman has been ruled out with a hamstring injury.

The trio of Adam Lallana, Tariq Lamptey and Jeremy Sarmiento are all sidelined and are unlikely to feature again this season.

Everton will be without captain Seamus Coleman for the rest of the season after Boubakary Soumare's heavy challenge caused ligament damage for the Irish veteran on Monday.

The club have revealed it is not an ACL injury though, and expect to have Coleman back much sooner than first feared.

One of the players who had deputised during Coleman's previous recent absence was Ben Godfrey, but he is also out of this one with a groin issue, so Nathan Patterson should start.

James Garner was given a start at the King Power as Amadou Onana was ill last week, but after another promising display, the young Englishman may keep his place.

Michael Keane has come under intense scrutiny following some underwhelming recent performances, but his manager has come out in support for the defender, meaning the likes of Conor Coady and Yerry Mina are expected to remain on the bench.

Brighton & Hove Albion possible starting lineup:

Steele; Gross, Dunk, Webster, Estupinan; Caicedo, Mac Allister, Enciso; March, Welbeck, Mitoma

Everton possible starting lineup:

Pickford; Patterson, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko; Iwobi, Garner, Onana, Doucoure, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin

We say: Brighton & Hove Albion 3-0 Everton

Brighton were ruthless when facing Wolves last weekend and had enough chances to beat Man United by a bigger scoreline, so will definitely fancy their chances against one of the favourites to go down.

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