Brighton piled the pressure on under-fire Everton boss Frank Lampard after walking away from a shell-shocked Goodison Park with a comprehensive 4-1 victory.
Kaoru Mitoma opened the scoring via James Tarkowski’s legs inside a quarter of an hour but a seven-minute spell after half-time proved the nadir for Everton as the Seagulls scored three times.
Evan Ferguson’s neat finish doubled Brighton’s lead after 51 minutes and Everton’s defence were at sixes and sevens as Solly March and then Pascal Gross helped the visitors move out of sight.
By this point Everton’s fans were streaming towards the exits and not even Demarai Gray’s added-time penalty could placate those who remained, with chants of ‘sack the board’ ringing around the stadium.
Everton were booed off the field for the second home match in a row and, while they remain one point above the Premier League relegation zone, all four teams below them have a game in hand.
Arsenal extended their lead atop the table to eight points but missed the chance to move it into double figures after being frustrated by Newcastle in a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium.
Newcastle, who remain third, defended well and arguably had the best chance as Joelinton’s free header at the back post missed the target in first-half stoppage time.
The Gunners had their opportunities as Gabriel Martinelli’s header went agonisingly wide while Newcastle goalkeeper Nick Pope saved well with his legs to deny Eddie Nketiah.
Arsenal’s appeals for a penalty after the ball hit Jacob Murphy’s arm in the area late on were turned down, leaving Mikel Arteta incensed on the touchline, as his side dropped points at home for the first time this season.
Marcus Rashford scored for a fourth consecutive game as Manchester United eased to a 3-0 win over Bournemouth.
Goals from Casemiro and Luke Shaw had already put United in command and this result had a routine feel – something that has been missing at Old Trafford in recent times but which is returning as Erik ten Hag shifts the mentality of this club.
United were not at their free-flowing best – Casemiro’s goal was the only shot on target in the first half – but did not need to be against a Bournemouth side who never looked like threatening what would have been a first ever league victory in Manchester.
Aleksandar Mitrovic boosted Fulham’s European charge as the Cottagers downed Leicester with a narrow 2-0 win on Tuesday night.
Fulham’s third straight victory left them seventh in the Premier League on 28 points – the same amount they were relegated with in 2021 – and level with Liverpool.
