Everton vs Brighton Preview: Previous Meeting, Form, Team News & More

Everton and Brighton face off in a Premier League mid table battle on Saturday afternoon.

The Toffees will be looking to continue their good home record under Sam Allardyce while Chris Hughton's men will want to extend their current unbeaten run to eight matches in all competitions.

Here's everything you need to know ahead of the Goodison Park contest:

Last Meeting

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A late Wayne Rooney penalty spared Everton's blushes when the sides met at the Amex Stadium in October.

Anthony Knockaert had stolen in at the far post to put the hosts 1-0 up in the second half, as Ronald Koeman's spell in charge of the Blues continued to unravel, with what seemed to be the winner eight minutes from time.

Bruno's inexplicable elbow on Dominic Calvert-Lewin in injury time, however, allowed Rooney to fire home from 12 yards and earn a point for the visitors.

Form

Everton are looking to get back to winning ways after successive league defeats on the road at Watford and Burnley.

The Merseysiders have taken 20 points from a possible 27 since late November at Goodison as home comforts continue to provide them with a respite from their abject form away from home.

However, with only two wins chalked up in the last seven, the Blues will hope to start putting more points on the board to all-but-end talk of a potential relegation battle.

Brighton are in the midst of their best unbeaten league run with their last defeat coming against Chelsea in mid-January.

Since that 4-0 reverse, the south coast club have racked up three wins and two draws to haul themselves above this weekend's entertainers into 10th position.

Coupled with their FA Cup run to the last eight, Brighton haven't lost any of the last seven matches in all competitions.

Team News

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Ashley Williams begins his three match ban for a straight red card he picked up in the loss to Burnley for Everton while Maarten Stekelenburg (groin), James McCarthy (leg break) and Eliaquim Mangala (knee) remain sidelined.

Ramiro Funes Mori, Leighton Baines and Phil Jagielka are all fit to feature in defence though after overcoming knee and calf issues.

Hughton cannot call upon Ezequiel Schelotto for this clash after the full back suffered a bout of concussion in the shock 2-1 win over Arsenal last time out.

Steve Sidwell (back) and Isaiah Brown (anterior cruciate ligament) remain long term absentees but the Seagulls boss has an otherwise fully fit side to choose from.

Predicted Everton lineup: Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Jagielka, Baines; Gueye, Rooney; Walcott, Davies, Sigurdsson; Tosun.

Predicted Brighton lineup: Ryan; Bruno, Dunk, Duffy, Bong; Knockaert, Stephens, March, Izquierdo; Gross, Murray.

Prediction

Everton will have to be on guard against Brighton as they look to continue their run of never losing to the Seagulls at Goodison.

The Blues will be confident of securing all three points in L4, but the visitors will post problems and could even cause another league upset if Allardyce's men aren't careful.

In front of a vociferous crowd the Toffees should have enough to bring Brighton's good form to an end though - even if it's by the most slender of margins.

Prediction: Everton 2-1 Brighton