Everton crushed Brighton 5-1 at the Amex to put an end to their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League. Dwight McNeil scored a second-half brace as Everton moved up to 16th place and moved two points clear of the Premier League relegation zone.
Abdoulaye Doucoure, who later scored a first-half brace, gave the hosts, who are now in seventh place, the lead after only 33 seconds.
Goalkeeper Jason Steele put the ball in his own net, and McNeil scored another goal for Everton in the second half, adding insult to injury for Albion.
Alexis Mac Allister managed to get one back for the home team, but McNeil's second goal in stoppage time solidified the sweep.
Similar to their Merseyside opponents on Saturday, the away end generally ignored the request to sing the national song in honor of the King's coronation and instead tried to block it out with a performance of Spirit of the Blues.
When Dominic Calvert-Lewin picked up the ball with Brighton's goal in his back and, with a deft pivot, delivered the ball to Doucoure at the far post, who dutifully tapped in, those cries immediately transformed into jubilant cheers.
Facundo Buonanotte received a free kick from Brighton on the right, but Jordan Pickford was alert to his headed effort from a tight angle and easily plucked it out of the air.
After collecting the ball in his own half and coolly controlling it into the final third, where Albion was eventually able to stop the initial wave of attack, it was the visitors who started to apply pressure at the 25-minute mark.
Control started to feel like an unreachable objective for the hosts once more as they found themselves at the mercy of Doucoure. Kaoru Mitoma attempted to set up Danny Welbeck, but he was unable to make contact as he glided toward the Everton goal.
On minute 29, he caught this time McNeil's left-wing cross and volleyed the ball past Steele to double Everton's lead.
Brighton had believed that would be the end of their awful first half, but McNeil had other plans. He put in a cross that Steele dove to save, only to see the ball deflect in off his thigh and further sink his team.
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