Everton produced their finest performance of the season so far to secure a huge 5-1 win over Brighton in a remarkable evening on the south coast.  

Aided by relegation rivals dropping points across around them, the Toffees went into the contest aware a victory would see them climb out of the bottom three and up into 16th in the Premier League table.  

Sean Dyche's men clearly saw this as an incentive rather than pressure and flew out of the blocks at the Amex Stadium, securing a lead inside the opening 34 seconds when Abdoulaye Doucoure fired home Dominic Calvert-Lewin's low cross.  

The midfielder made it two with a brilliant volley on the half-hour mark before resolute play from Dwight McNeil helped force an error from Brighton keeper Jason Steele who deflected the Everton winger’s cross into his own net nine minutes before the break.  

That strike helped Everton boast a three-goal lead at half-time for the first time since beating Stoke City 3-0 back in 2016.  

Brighton pushed and probed for a route back in the game after half-time, but it was Everton who found the net first to extend their lead when McNeil grabbed the goal his performance deserved as the game entered the final 15 minutes.

Brighton did get their consolation via a late Alexis Mac Allister strike, but they deserved very little else and McNeil made sure to restore the Blues' four-goal margin of victory with a rasper of a strike deep into stoppage time. 

The Everton boss made two changes from the team that lined up against Leicester City seven days earlier, with Yerry Mina returning to the side in place of Michael Keane, while Nathan Patterson replaced the injured Seamus Coleman. 

It was Patterson who made the crucial interception that helped put the Toffees ahead inside the opening minute.   

The Scottish international cut out a pass down the right side before quickly feeding the ball into the feet of Alex Iwobi. He found Calvert-Lewin who took the ball with an excellent turn before driving into the penalty area. His superb cut back found Doucoure who fired home to put the Blues in front.     

Despite the fast start, the home side found some rhythm quickly and managed to see plenty of the ball throughout the opening exchanges – although crucially without turning that possession into chances on the Everton goal.   

As the half progressed, it was clear that Brighton were trying to target Everton’s right side. Patterson and Iwobi stood firm, though.    

The Blues' second nearly came as the game approached the 20th minute. Iwobi and Garner combined superbly down the right before finding Doucoure in the box.  

He laid the ball off to McNeil who dribbled away from outstretched Brighton legs to create space before unleashing a vicious effort at goal that was blocked by a diving Adam Webster tackle.  

The second did come though just minutes later. All-action McNeil picked the ball up from deep and drove all the way to the edge of the Brighton penalty area. He had runners in support, however, it was Doucoure – drifting unmarked toward the back post – who he found with an inch-perfect delivery.   

The midfielder still had work to do but made his first-time volley look simple as he smashed the ball home.   

Six minutes later it was three as the travelling Evertonians behind the South Stand goal were sent into dreamland. Another fast break - quickly becoming the theme of the game - saw Iwobi and Doucoure bearing down on Brighton defender Webster in a two-against-one attack.  

Iwobi tried to play his midfielder teammate through on goal but misjudged the weight of the pass.    

The move looked to be dead, but a determined McNeil kept the attack alive in the far corner. He picked up possession and dribbled his way into the box before drilling a low cross across goal which goalkeeper Jason Steele turned into his own net.   

Garner nearly grabbed a fourth on the stroke of half-time. Again, McNeil was in the heart of the action and he cut the ball back to an onrushing Garner but Steele atoned for his earlier error with a stunning point-blank save to keep the deficit at three. 

Shocked and dismayed, Brighton made four changes at the break as boss Roberto De Zerbi tried to stop the Blues from running riot while hoping his side could find a route back into the game.  

The hosts went closest to doing so 15 minutes into the second half when substitute Evan Ferguson saw his header tipped onto the post by the outstretched Jordan Pickford. The flag went up for offside, but replays showed the goal most likely would have stood.   

England’s No.1 denied the highly rated teenage forward again minutes later, pushing a sweetly struck shot onto the bar. Alexis Mac Allister also hit the woodwork as Brighton really started turning the screw. 

Pickford again was called into action as he tipped another goal-bound effort wide for a corner, and it was from this set-piece that Everton put the game to bed.  

Brighton attempted a short routine that broke down, Gana won possession and found Iwobi who drove deep into the Brighton half.  

He almost stopped in his tracks as he waited for the run of McNeil before sliding a pass into the winger drifting into the box, from there he calmly dribbled around Steele to grab Everton’s fourth.  

Brighton nicked a consolation goal with a little over ten minutes left as a cross into the Blues’ box bounced fortunately off the post and in off Mac Allister on the floor.  

Neal Maupay and Amadou Onana joined the action in the final few minutes in place of Calvert-Lewin and Gana.

McNeil then. capped off an evening to remember in the closing seconds of the match after he ran onto a through ball, and drove into the box, before smashing home the Blues' fifth at the near post.