Alexis Mac Allister scored twice as Brighton recorded their first win at Goodison Park with an entertaining 3-2 victory over Everton which cranks up the pressure on Rafael Benitez.

Benitez welcomed back Dominic Calvert-Lewin to the starting line-up for the first time since August, but it was the trio of centre-backs who were culpable just three minutes in when they all watched Neal Maupay’s looping header drop to Mac Allister, who volleyed home.

Things got even worse for Everton when Dan Burn doubled Brighton’s lead from a well-worked corner (21), before the hosts seemed to have been handed a lifeline when they were awarded a penalty after Enock Mwepu fouled Anthony Gordon but Calvert-Lewin clipped the bar with his spot-kick.

Gordon would halve the deficit when his shot deflected in off Adam Lallana (53) but Mac Allister restored Brighton’s two-goal advantage with a brilliant strike from the edge of the box, which proved decisive in the end (71).

Gordon met Jonjoe Kenny’s low cross five minutes later to give Everton hope, but it’s now eight defeats in 12 games for Benitez. The hosts sit 15th on 19 points after 18 games, eight points off the relegation zone while Brighton move up to eighth in the table on 27 points.