Everton extended their unbeaten start to the campaign by beating Brighton & Hove Albion with what manager Rafa Benitez considered the best performance of his incipient reign.

Demarai Gray opened the scoring four minutes before half-time and Dominic Calvert-Lewin added Everton’s second from the spot on 58 minutes.

Here, evertonfc.com identifies the key talking points from a consummate display and promising beginning to the season.

Midfield Marvels Rule 

Rafa Benitez needed no prompting to expound on the contributions of his indefatigable engine-room pair on the south coast.

Analysing the game for Match of the Day, Micah Richards was equally forthcoming on the Everton pair.

Allan and Abdoualye Doucoure ran the legs off Brighton’s midfield, steadily breaking the will of a home side that was ultimately bumped off its passing rhythm.

Doucoure steaming into the box for a shot when Everton led 2-0 summed-up the energy and optimism of the Frenchman’s performance.

A penny for the thoughts of the home players whenever they tried to catch a breather, only to spy Doucoure at full gallop for the umpteenth time.

He covered more ground than anyone else on the field, recovering possession nine times and playing 13 successful passes in the final third.

Allan's incisive distribution, meanwhile, repeatedly punched holes in Brighton’s rearguard.

“He’s always on the half turn and can play long and short passes,” observed former Manchester City and England defender Richards, who noted Allan’s “defence-splitting pass” for Seamus Coleman to win Everton’s penalty.

Brighton left-back Joel Veltman found himself betwixt and between following Allan’s low delivery from deep, the defender neither intercepting nor tracking Coleman’s run.

The upshot was a panicked foul and Dominic Calvert-Lewin steering in Everton’s second goal.

Allan sprang Demarai Gray for Everton’s opener, too, and there was an eye-of-the-needle pass for Richarlison to feed in the overlapping Coleman before half-time.

The South American’s 94-per-cent passing accuracy was the best on the pitch.

He played three key passes, delivered 12 successful final-third balls and located his target with 16 forward passes.

Allan topped the tackling charts, too, only Brighton’s Pascal Gross matching the Everton player’s total of five.

There were two clearances and one interception – and, when the dust settled, praise raining down on the 30-year-old from all directions.

Tireless Townsend

It isn’t unheard of for Tour de France riders to spend the large part of a week in bed following a punishing three-week slog through the mountains and countryside.

And it is tempting to imagine Andros Townsend retiring to bed for the remainder of the bank holiday weekend following an unrelenting shift at Brighton.

Such are Townsend’s reserves of energy, however, it wouldn’t be altogether surprising to discover him pounding the treadmill on Sunday afternoon.

When the 30-year-old chased back to tackle Brighton substitute Taylor Richards, 10 years Townsend’s junior, in the game’s closing minutes, the episode epitomised a herculean individual display.

Townsend, in common with his teammates, had to earn the right to exert his attacking smarts on this game.

The initial stages were spent pursuing Brighton wing-back Jacob Molder, squeezing the giant Pole’s space and stopping crosses reaching Everton’s penalty area.

Time and again, Townsend sprinted into deep positions, a willing defender with an eye on the bigger picture.

And, sure enough, as the game progressed, Everton began to pen back their hosts.

The locals gave Townsend a less-than-friendly welcome owing to his Crystal Palace connections.

But the Everton player was close to providing a compelling response when he swatted a shot from 20 yards that Brighton keeper Robert Sanchez saved down to his left.

That moment was the cue for Everton to swarm all over Brighton, the breakthrough arriving within 13 minutes of Townsend’s attempt.

He scored the winner at Huddersfield Town in midweek and had an assist on the opening day against Southampton.

Townsend was on the bench for last week’s trip to Leeds, nonetheless. “That’s what happens when you’re at a big club,” offered Townsend, alluding to the standards required to maintain a starting spot.

This, on Saturday, was every inch a big-player performance from Townsend, who recovered possession on eight occasions, made four successful tackles and, employing his quick feet, won four free-kicks.

He deserves to put those feet up on the day of rest. But don’t bet against the turbo-charged Andros Townsend opting for a Sunday afternoon run.

Gray Matters For Everton

The Evertonian murmur of concern that greeted the sight of Demarai Gray clutching his shoulder had given way to vociferous adulation by the end of another rip-roaring effort from Everton’s number 11.

Had the early knock prematurely ended Gray’s afternoon, Everton would have been poorer for the 25-year-old’s absence.

Gray has the look of a man enjoying his football and he is red hot right now.

He signed for Everton scarcely five weeks ago but is already an integral factor in his team's attacking play.

The control on the run to collect a pass from Lucas Digne and send in a low cross inside 15 minutes was exemplary and indicative of the confidence gained from scoring a first Everton goal at Leeds United last week.

Gray isn’t one of those wingers who collects chalk on his boots. He moves infield to confuse opponents and is comfortable in possession anywhere on the pitch.

The Englishman popped up in a central position to feed Andros Townsend for a run and shot after 28 minutes and intermittently switched wings to create overloads on Brighton’s left.

At 2-0, he cut in from the right for a left-foot shot blocked by Shane Duffy.

He was on Everton’s left flank, however, when a turnover of possession enabled the visitors to break four minutes before half-time.

It is a measure of Gray’s pace and talent and self-belief that you liked his chances of scoring as soon as he received possession, about 50 yards from goal.

His speed terrifies defenders and centre-half Adam Webster backed off, hoping for help which never arrived.

Gray used the time and space to work the ball onto his left foot and craft his finish into the far corner.

It was a genuinely top-class piece of play from a man fast becoming a key figure for Rafa Benitez's team.

Gray’s daring and innate optimism give Everton thrust in the final third. Get the ball to his feet and he’ll have you 30 yards up the pitch in the blink of an eye.

He is prepared to put the ball at risk for a positive outcome and had three shots against Brighton, in addition to creating two chances and playing nine successful final-third passes.

No wonder his name was sung with gusto when Benitez withdrew him with nine minutes remaining.

DCL On Spot To Celebrate 150

Dominic Calvert-Lewin marked his 150^th Everton appearance in what we can legitimately say is characteristic fashion.

The striker scored 16 Premier League goals last season and has three this season from as many as Everton games.

Consider, too, that Calvert-Lewin is currently operating below full capacity. A toe injury is limiting the 24-year-old’s training and on matchday he’s gritting his teeth and managing the pain.

He struck from the spot for his 43^rd top-flight goal – 29 of those coming since a double against Chelsea in December 2019.

That number 9 jersey he craved hangs lightly on Calvert-Lewin’s muscular frame.

He was the epitome of confidence and conviction when scoring a penalty for a second successive week to essentially bank three points for his team.

Calvert-Lewin is beginning to keep royal company. He is the first Everton player to score in the opening three games in back-to-back seasons since Dixie Dean in the 1930s.

He had two shots and one key pass and lent a hand defensively with one tackle, one interception and one clearance,

The striker will do all he can to be fit for England after hobbling off on 70 minutes – he’s hardwired to want to play football.

Should he have to put his feet up for a fortnight, that might not be the worst thing for his club.

Either way, Rafa Benitez will have his fingers crossed his main man up front is fit and firing for Burnley in a fortnight.

The Best Things

It was a long time coming but Everton sustained their early-season momentum with a first win at Brighton & Hove Albion since April 1983.

Granted, that statistic is skewed somewhat by the fact Brighton spent the better part of the intervening years outside the top-flight.

The south coast club’s compact Amex Stadium home has proved notoriously tough terrain for Everton, nonetheless – four visits prior to this yielding only two points.

But Rafa Benitez is constructing a resilient and confident Everton, a cute team capable of adapting to prevailing conditions.

They began the season by recovering from a goal down to beat Southampton a fortnight ago and seven days later gave as good as they got at an inhospitable Elland Road to draw with Leeds United.

There was evidence of character running right through the squad when manager Benitez made nine changes for the midweek cup visit to Huddersfield Town and saw his team conjure a winner after being reduced to 10 men.

In pure football terms, this was, perhaps, Everton’s trickiest assignment of an embryonic campaign.

Brighton won their opening two Premier League games and the stamp of Graham Potter – the manager who is beginning his third season in charge – is visible in the team’s slick patterns and clever interchanges.

Potter’s side are imposing and robust in defence, too, meaning Everton needed to couple strength and courage with the skill and agility required to overcome Brighton’s fast passing and movement.

Benitez’s players ticked all those boxes to claim three excellent points.

Everton followed that win at Brighton more than 38 years ago – Kevin Sheedy scored twice in a 2-1 success – by going home and beating Manchester United 2-0 10 days later.

And they will return to Goodison Park to face Burnley in 16 days aiming to, once more, pick up where they left off 275 miles away in Sussex.