ALBION 1 EVERTON 1

Lewis Dunk was so fired up for the second half, he ran towards the wrong end of the pitch.

He forgot Everton had turned the teams around at kick-off so, as he led his side purposefully back out after half-time, he sprinted towards the South Stand.

Pascal Gross put him right and the skipper had a smile as he redirected himself.

A little more than 45 minutes later, the two of them WERE at that end, combining for the stoppage-time goal which had Dunk roaring with defiance rather than grinning sheepishly.

These two 30-somethings are the cornerstones of the club’s vibrant Premier League era and here they gave a “could have been worse” silver lining to what was looking like an afternoon with very few saving graces.

There was still a pretty grim mood around the place as Albion reflected on two dropped points, a three-game ban for Billy Gilmour and ongoing injury concerns.

But there was a bit to commend about the response with ten men after Gilmour was red-carded for catching Amadou Onana late.

Dunk and Gross led from the front.

Head coach Roberto De Zerbi said: “Lewis is a legend. He is not (only) captain of Brighton, he is a legend.

“He deserves everything from Brighton fans and Brighton club.

“I think he could play at a different level because the level of Lewis is higher than he did.

“A higher level than the Premier League. He could play in the Champions League every year – with Brighton, without Brighton, every year.”

Don’t read too much into those final words and try and turn them into a transfer story.

What concerns De Zerbi more is those players who are coming in and out, mainly through injury, occasionally due to suspension and also because he is not ready to start them.

There are players in the squad from whom more can be demanded in the coming, huge weeks.

Julio Enciso made a welcome return and looked quite lively so what will he produce?

Ansu Fati might have scored the winner but one awaits both the consistent best of him and the return to top form of Pervis Estupinan.

Albion have seen Simon Adingra and Jan Paul van Hecke seize chances this season and will hope Carlos Baleba could be next with Gilmour now sidelined.

It was great to see Kaoru Mitoma and Adingra back in partnership at Bramall Lane but it did not last long.

A back issue kept Mitoma out here and it is not clear when he will be available.

De Zerbi said: “I would like all my players available to play, I would like to decide the first XI because sometimes the first XI has been the work of the medical staff.

“I couldn’t decide the first XI a lot of times.

“We are going into a crucial part of the season and I would like to play with Mitoma, I would like to play with Joao Pedro and Julio Enciso, Ansu Fati, Adingra.

“I think we played very well. In the first 30 minutes in the first half we had three or four chances to score.

“We lost two points but the level of Everton we know very well.

“The most important quality is set-pieces and the second ball.

“We knew it and we worked a lot on it but maybe not enough.”

That loose ball from Jordan Pickford’s long free-kick was superbly dispatched into the top corner by Jarrad Braithwaite to put Everton ahead.

There were a couple of Albion escapes during what Sean Dyche felt was a perfect away performance by his Everton side in the second half.

Tariq Lamptey produced a superb goal-line clearance to thwart the impressive Abdoulaye Doucoure and Beto failed to touch home a cross.

Albion twice saw Danny Welbeck go close in the first period and Adingra, employed on his favoured left wing, fired just over after trickery.

Dyche noted the hosts went longer more often than usual and there were spaces to exploit.

But a bright start was not built on and, once Everton had survived a couple of scrambles in the closing stages, it looked like an away win was on the cards.

Then Gross directed things one last time with a turn and a perfect cross and Dunk got his bearings spot on for the equaliser.

Albion: Verbruggen; Dunk, van Hecke, Igor (Estupinan 60); Buonanotte (Enciso 73), Gross, Gilmour, Lamptey (Veltman 61); Adingra, Welbeck (Ansu Fati 61), Ferguson (Lallana 75). Subs: Steele, Webster, Moder, Baleba.

Goal: Dunk 90+5.

Red card: Gilmour 81.

Yellow card: De Zerbi, van Hecke, Gross.

Everton: Pickford; Godfrey, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Harrison, Gueye (Onana 49), Garner, McNeil, Doucoure (Young 89); Calvert-Lewin (Beto 68). Subs: Joao Virginia, Patterson, Keane, Hunt, Coleman, Chermiti.

Goal: Branthwaite 73.

Yellow card: Tarkowski, Beto, Onana.

Referee: Tony Harrington.