Everton vs Brighton Prediction: Toffees to get Goodison rocking

Fabian Hurzeler takes charge of his first competitive game as Brighton & Hove Albion head coach when the Seagulls make the trip to Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon (15:00) to face Everton.

The two sides shared the spoils twice last season in 1-1 draws, and both sides will be eager to commence the new campaign with a win. Read on for my Everton vs Brighton prediction, as well as the latest team news and match odds.

Football Odds

Team News

Nathan Patterson and Youssef Chermiti are expected to miss out here, while Sean Dyche has confirmed that Jarrad Branthwaite is also sidelined as the English centre-back continues his recovery from a groin operation.

Seamus Coleman and James Garner are doubts due to calf injuries, while new signings Jake O'Brien, Tim Iroegbunam and Jesper Lindstrom could be handed their Premier League debuts.

As for Brighton, Evan Ferguson is out with a foot injury, and Pervis Estupinan joins him on the treatment table with an ankle problem. Solly March and Julio Enciso both have knee injuries, while Tariq Lamptey and Billy Gilmour are both doubts for the trip to Goodison Park.

James Milner, Joao Pedro, Karou Mitoma and Danny Welbeck are all expected to feature alongside club-record signing Yankuba Minteh.

Everton vs Brighton Odds

It's 13/8 for both the Everton win and Brighton win, meaning they both have a theoretical chance of 38.1% of winning the opening game of the season, while the draw can be backed at 5/2.

Both matches between the pair last season ended 1-1, and a repeat of that scoreline on Saturday is available at 11/2.

Everton to win @ 13/8

Everton managed to escape relegation last season, but without their two points deductions, their results would have been good enough for a 12th-placed finish. Most notably, they would have finished level on points with Saturday's opponents.

A huge factor in their survival was their home form, as the Toffees won each of their final five home league matches last season to nil  – including an impressive 2-0 derby victory over Liverpool – while only their Merseyside neighbours, Arsenal and Manchester City conceded fewer goals in front of their own fans.

There's an element of uncertainty surrounding Brighton as they head into the new season under new management with Hurzeler replacing Roberto De Zerbi in the dugout. The German will be looking to improve the Seagulls' road record - they've won just three times away from home in all competitions in 2024.

I'm not sure what to expect from Brighton here, and with this season being the final one at Goodison Park for the Everton faithful, I'm predicting a strong start for the Toffees on home soil.

Under 2.5 goals @ 1/1

For my second pick, I'm taking a look at the total goals market.

I'm opting for under 2.5 goals in this match, as this bet has landed in five of Everton's last six matches at Goodison Park. Two of their final four home matches last term saw the Toffees win 2-0 and a repeat of this scoreline could be in store too - that can be backed at 14/1.

As mentioned above, both meetings last year ended 1-1, which suggests that Saturday's encounter won't be a high-scoring one.

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