Everton move clear of drop zone after spot-on Ndiaye sees off Brighton
Everton move clear of drop zone after spot-on Ndiaye sees off Brighton
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The second honeymoon continues for David Moyes. Taking charge of his 700th Premier League game and up against the division’s youngest manager who is 30 years his junior, a controversial penalty from Iliman Ndiaye made it two successive victories since the 61-year-old’s return to Everton and proved there is no substitute for experience. This was the kind of backs-to-the-wall victory that Moyes has made his trade since taking charge of his first match back in March 2002 when he was the new manager on the block.
![[The Everton goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, makes a save during the Premier League match against Brighton.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/57449f601e5fc06cd9debd26f35294b14eaf6433/138_90_2229_1338/master/2229.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
While Fabian Hürzeler’s side improved significantly after an insipid first-half display that saw them fall behind following Joël Veltman’s senseless handball, Brighton could not overcome Everton’s organised defence and incessant timewasting as they kept up a propensity for dropping points at home against teams below them in the table. The loss of Dominic Calvert-Lewin to injury early was the only negative for Everton, although nothing could dampen the spirits of the travelling fans, who serenaded their manager at the final whistle.
Moyes said this week that becoming only the third manager to reach the milestone after Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsène Wenger was “a fair achievement”, although he was doubtful about ever matching their records of more than 800 games in charge. But it was another statistic would have been of more concern. Everton won just one of their past 21 matches on the road under Sean Dyche, with their solitary away victory this season coming at Ipswich back in October. Moyes decided against retaining the three-man defence he used in their rousing performance against Spurs last week, which meant former Crystal Palace defender Jake O’Brien began at right-back in only his second league start for the club.
