Premier League: Everton kick off new era with Brighton win, Forest hold Palace

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New Delhi: Everton gave their fans plenty to cheer about in their first Premier League home game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, beating Brighton 2-0 to register their first win of the campaign. At the same time, Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest shared the spoils in a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park.

The Toffees needed a response after their disappointing opening-day defeat to newly promoted Leeds United, and they got exactly that with a strong performance against Roberto De Zerbi’s side. With Manchester United set to visit Fulham later in the day, these early fixtures set the tone for another dramatic weekend of top-flight action.

Everton 2-0 Brighton

Everton were ready from the start, determined to clinch all three points. Last weekend, they lost 1-0 against newly promoted Leeds United at Elland Road. In the 23rd minute, Iliman Ndiaye broke the deadlock with a fine finish after receiving a superb assist from Jack Grealish. By halftime, the Seagulls had struck the woodwork twice but missed the opportunity to score.

As the second half began, the Toffees stayed sharp, and just seven minutes in, James Garner fired the ball into the bottom-right corner. Once again, Grealish played the role of playmaker, calmly rolling the pass into Garner’s path for him to smash home and seal a 2-0 win.

Crystal Palace 1-1 Nottingham Forest

Crystal Palace, eager to bounce back after their demotion, took the lead in the 37th minute after both sides had threatened with half-chances. The home side stepped up a gear as Ismaila Sarr netted the first goal of the night. The Eagles came close to doubling their advantage just before halftime but Marc Guehi’s effort struck the post, sending them into the break with a 1-0 lead.

In the second half, Nottingham Forest fought back and levelled the score within 15 minutes. Callum Hudson-Odoi beat Tyrick Mitchell for pace to latch onto a through pass, and his strike went past Dean Henderson into the back of the net. Injury time brought more drama when Palace appealed for a penalty after Sarr went down in the box, but the flag was already raised for offside and the match ended 1-1.