Analysis: This is why Brighton and Hove Albion lost to Everton - looking through the prism of Pep Guardiola's Bible

Brighton went into the game at Goodison Park with one win out of three in the Premier League, scoring six and conceding six in the process.

Graham Potter's men have been unlucky, wasteful and naive at some points in this campaign - look at the goals conceded immediately after scoring, for example - but in the same breath, they have played some phenomenal, direct and exciting football at times. This roller coaster ride is the product of Potter's attacking 3-4-3 formation.

Unfortunately for Brighton, their young, well-spoken and bright coach was out maneuvered by an older, wiser and street smart Italian in Carlo Ancelotti.

Let's take a look at where the game was won and lost.

Everton's 4-3-3 vs Brighton's 3-4-3

To explain why Everton's formation was superior to Brighton's, it's important to look at what Pep Guardiola - who Potter has said is an influence on his career - calls 'The Bible'.

Guardiola's Bible has three key strictures:

- Two against four in attack

- An extra man in midfield

- An extra man in defence

Guardiola has previously said there is a 'need to fill the centre of the pitch in order to play having numerical superiority'.

This is what Ancelotti has done with his 4-3-3, which reverted to a 4-5-1 when defending, against Potter's 3-4-3.

When defending, Everton had five in midfield compared to Brighton's four, which allowed Ancelotti's men to win the ball back close to Maty Ryan's goal. This turned defense into attack instantly.

When attacking, Everton pushed their wingers, James Rodriguez and Richarlison, and their full-backs, Lucas Digne and Seamus Coleman, up the pitch to create overloads down the flanks.

All four of Everton's goals came from the wings: three crosses from the left and one from the right.

Ancelotti targeted the space in behind Brighton's wing-backs as a weakness to be exploited, which his team did ruthlessly.

This way of playing against Brighton exposes the Achilles heel of the 3-4-3 formation, which Manchester United also exploited through their wingers in the Seagulls' previous league game.

Individual errors

Jose Mourinho has previously outlined a seven-point plan which looks at the weaknesses of being in possession. I'll use two of his seven points as a way to explain how maybe a pragmatic, top-flight manager like Ancelotti looks to win big games.

Mourinho's plan states 'the game is won by the team that commits fewer errors', and that 'football favours whoever provokes more errors in the opposition'.

This is exactly what Everton did to Brighton: the Merseysiders' high press, height and movement in the box, and overloads caused Brighton to make mistakes.

The first mistake came from Tariq Lamptey who failed to stop a Gylfi Sigurdsson cross into the box, which was converted by Premier League top scorer Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Solly March was at fault for the second goal. It was his late tackle on the overlapping Seamus Coleman that led to a freekick which was headed in by Yerry Mina.

Another few mistakes about this goal: the 5ft 6inch Neal Maupay was bizarrely marking the 6ft 4inch Mina, it was also conceded minutes after Brighton levelled (41') and moments before half-time (45+2').

Potter spoke about the goal in a Match of The Day interview after the game.

He said: "To concede before half time was a bit of a blow for us. We could've made better decisions. I think we contributed a little bit to our downfall today."

Brighton's game management may need to be looked at, this is the third time the Seagulls have conceded a goal minutes after scoring to get a foothold in the game - look at the score sheets in the league games against Chelsea and Manchester United.

The other two errors leading to goals came from Leandro Trossard and Steven Alzate, who were both hustled out of possession by a gang of blue shirts in the middle of the park - Guardiola's Bible and the numerical advantage in the centre of the pitch in action.

Man-of-the-match James Rodriguez finished off both of the breakaway attacks.

Wasted chances

Very simply, if you don't take your chances in the Premier League you get punished.

As well as Everton may have played, Brighton could have easily scored another two or three.

Maupay was the first player who could have done better after Pickford weakly pushed a cross towards the striker in the six-yard box. The Frenchman however couldn't finish the opportunity off, although his miss is in part to Tom Davies' brilliant defending.

Trossard was then denied. The Belgian found himself with time and space in the box to get a shot off at 4-1, but Mina stretched out a leg and made what looked like a goal-saving tackle.

The in-form Maupay then found himself with a sight on goal again, after some more good pressing from Brighton, but the switched-on Mina came flying to Everton's rescue for a second time with another long-legged block.

Given Yves Bissouma made it 4-2 in the last minutes of the game, it did beg the question, what if Brighton took their other two or three chances moments before?

DIfference in quality

Calvert-Lewin, Rodriguez and Mina were the difference in class. Calvert-Lewin and Mina recorded an 8.2 out of 10 match rating from WhoScored.com, and Rodriguez notched a 9.7.

Rodriguez is top of the player ratings table this season, averaging a rating of 8.4 out of 10, Calvert-Lewin is second, averaging 8.3 out of 10, and Richarlison is tenth on 7.89 out of 10.

The big players stepped up for Everton: Rodriguez got an assist and two goals, Mina one goal, and Calvert-Lewin one goal - it is also worth mentioning both Mina and Rodriguez between them have previously played at perpetual Champions League winning sides in Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

However well Brighton are currently playing, they came up against a well organised, free-scoring and inspired team which is on the ascendancy under a legendary manager.

It'll be interesting to watch the reverse fixture on April 10.