Brighton edge towards safety with draw

Neal Maupay had two of the game's best chances

Brighton edged a point closer to Premier League safety with a goalless draw against Everton at Amex Stadium.

The Seagulls climbed a place to 15th after the low-key encounter - seven points clear of 18th-placed Fulham who have played a game more.

Brighton pushed for a winner late on but Neal Maupay lashed an effort over from 10 yards and Lewis Dunk had a header tipped over the bar.

The point did little for Everton's hopes of Champions League qualification with Carlo Ancelotti's side seven points adrift of fourth-placed West Ham with a game in hand.

They were without striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin because of injury and did not force Brighton goalkeeper Robert Sanchez into a save until the 71st minute.

Reaction from Brighton v Everton

Brighton closing in on survival

A win would have all-but secured another Premier League season for Brighton but a point was a decent enough result.

They offered almost all of the game's attacking intent but, once again, were left rueing their lack of a clinical presence up front.

Of their 23 shots, Maupay had their two best chances. Had he shown more composure with a first-half effort that was deflected wide or later in the second half the three points would have gone to Graham Potter's side.

Still, they have taken seven points from their past four games and have moved clear of trouble. One more win and they will surely be safe.

Injury-hit Everton's season is stalling

Everton started bright enough but regressed, severely lacking the focal point of their top scorer Calvert-Lewin, who was ruled out with an abductor issue.

They lacked creativity and were sloppy, with manager Ancelotti looking increasingly frustrated as the ball was repeatedly given away.

Alex Iwobi flashed a shot over in stoppage time but it would have been an unjust victory had the ball crept below the crossbar.

A lengthening injury list, worsened when Yerry Mina limped off in the second half, saw defender Mason Holgate start in central midfield and seven members of an eight-man substitutes bench having just two Premier League appearances between them.

The loss of important players is a clear factor in a season that is stalling badly.

A Champions League place looked a real possibility a five weeks ago - the Toffees were fifth, a point behind fourth-placed Chelsea with a game in hand - but Everton have now gone five games without a win in all competitions for the first time since December 2018 under Marco Silva.

'A decent performance' - what they said

Brighton boss Graham Potter, speaking to BBC Sport: "In terms of the performance I'm really happy. We were the team closest to winning. We had some good moments, they blocked well and defended well when they had to.

"We missed the last pass of that bit of quality in the final third. But we are happy with what we have done. It's a hard-earned point and a decent performance."

50 up for Ancelotti at Goodison - the best stats

Against no side have Brighton played more home Premier League games without ever losing than against Everton (P4 W2 D2). Only Manchester United (6) have drawn more Premier League matches 0-0 than Brighton (5) this season, while this was Everton's first goalless draw of the campaign, leaving Sheffield United as the only side still yet to play out a 0-0 draw. Brighton have kept a clean sheet in five of their eight home Premier League matches in 2021 - no side has kept more home shutouts in the competition since the turn of the year. Carlo Ancelotti became the seventh manager to take charge of 50 Premier League games for Everton, with none of those seven bosses losing their 50th league match in charge of the Toffees (W4 D3). Indeed, only Roberto Martinez (89 pts) has won more points from his first 50 Premier League games in charge of Everton than Carlo Ancelotti (78 pts). Ancelotti has picked up 78 points from his 50 Premier League games in charge of Everton, his lowest return after 50 league matches in charge of a side during his managerial career (previously 89 with AC Milan). Everton have won just 25% of their games without Dominic Calvert-Lewin in the Premier League this season (P4 W1 D1 L2), compared to a 50% win rate when he has been involved (P26 W13 D5 L8).

What's next?

Brighton's next game is on Tuesday, 20 April against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (20:00 BST), while Everton host Tottenham on Friday (20:00 BST).

Player of the match

WhiteBen White

with an average of 7.62

BrightonBrighton & Hove AlbionBrighton & Hove AlbionEvertonEvertonEverton

Brighton & Hove AlbionAvgSquad number3Player nameWhiteAverage rating

7.62

Squad number8Player nameBissoumaAverage rating

7.56

Squad number14Player nameLallanaAverage rating

7.29

Squad number5Player nameDunkAverage rating

7.27

Squad number34Player nameVeltmanAverage rating

6.82

Squad number15Player nameModerAverage rating

6.70

Squad number11Player nameTrossardAverage rating

6.59

Squad number18Player nameWelbeckAverage rating

6.52

Squad number26Player nameSánchezAverage rating

6.50

Squad number13Player nameGroßAverage rating

6.50

Squad number9Player nameMaupayAverage rating

5.58

Squad number33Player nameBurnAverage rating

5.56

Squad number16Player nameJahanbakhshAverage rating

5.34

EvertonAvgSquad number33Player nameOlsenAverage rating

5.23

Squad number22Player nameGodfreyAverage rating

5.18

Squad number23Player nameColemanAverage rating

5.13

Squad number19Player nameRodríguezAverage rating

5.13

Squad number12Player nameDigneAverage rating

4.64

Squad number13Player nameMinaAverage rating

4.62

Squad number5Player nameKeaneAverage rating

4.61

Squad number4Player nameHolgateAverage rating

4.57

Squad number10Player nameG SigurdssonAverage rating

4.49

Squad number34Player nameBroadheadAverage rating

4.44

Squad number26Player nameDaviesAverage rating

4.43

Squad number7Player nameRicharlisonAverage rating

4.25

Squad number17Player nameIwobiAverage rating

4.05

Line-upsMatch StatsLive Text

Line-upsBrighton

Formation 3-4-2-1

26Sánchez3White5Dunk34Veltman13Groß14Lallana8Bissouma15Moder11Trossard18Welbeck9Maupay

26Sánchez3White5DunkBooked at 52mins34Veltman13Groß14Lallana8Bissouma15ModerSubstituted forBurnat 87'minutes11Trossard18Welbeck9MaupaySubstituted forJahanbakhshat 87'minutes

Substitutes

4Webster10Mac Allister16Jahanbakhsh17Alzate19Izquierdo23Steele24Pröpper29Zeqiri33Burn

Everton

Formation 5-3-2

33Olsen23Coleman22Godfrey13Mina5Keane12Digne26Davies4Holgate10G Sigurdsson19Rodríguez7Richarlison

33Olsen23Coleman22Godfrey13MinaSubstituted forIwobiat 58'minutes5KeaneBooked at 82mins12Digne26DaviesSubstituted forBroadheadat 88'minutes4HolgateBooked at 90mins10G Sigurdsson19Rodríguez7Richarlison

Substitutes

17Iwobi18Nkounkou31Neves Virgínia34Broadhead48John53Tyrer60Price64Welch

Referee:Darren EnglandMatch StatsHome TeamBrightonAway TeamEvertonPossessionHome55%Away45%ShotsHome23Away8Shots on TargetHome3Away1CornersHome10Away3FoulsHome12Away7Live TextPost update

Match ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 0, Everton 0.

90'+3'Full Time

Second Half ends, Brighton and Hove Albion 0, Everton 0.

90'+3'Post update

Attempt blocked. Leandro Trossard (Brighton and Hove Albion) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked.

90'+3'Post update

Attempt blocked. Pascal Groß (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

90'+2'Booking

Mason Holgate (Everton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

90'+1'Post update

Pascal Groß (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

90'+1'Post update

Foul by Mason Holgate (Everton).

90'+1'Post update

Attempt missed. Alex Iwobi (Everton) left footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Séamus Coleman.

89'Post update

Attempt missed. Adam Lallana (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Pascal Groß.

88'Substitution

Substitution, Everton. Nathan Broadhead replaces Tom Davies.

87'Substitution

Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Dan Burn replaces Jakub Moder.

87'Substitution

Substitution, Brighton and Hove Albion. Alireza Jahanbakhsh replaces Neal Maupay.

83'Post update

Corner, Brighton and Hove Albion. Conceded by Mason Holgate.

83'Post update

Attempt blocked. Leandro Trossard (Brighton and Hove Albion) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.

82'Booking

Michael Keane (Everton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.

82'Post update

Danny Welbeck (Brighton and Hove Albion) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

82'Post update

Foul by Michael Keane (Everton).

81'Post update

Attempt missed. Tom Davies (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is just a bit too high.

81'Post update

Attempt blocked. Gylfi Sigurdsson (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by James Rodríguez.

78'Post update

Foul by Lewis Dunk (Brighton and Hove Albion).

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Source: bbc.com