Beto came off the bench to grab a 97th-minute equaliser as Everton held Brighton to a dramatic draw in the Premier League.

It looked like Pascal Gross' first goal since rejoining the Seagulls was enough for the hosts to claim three points, but the Guinea-Bissau striker had other plans.

On his 27th birthday, Beto arrived to score on the rebound after Jake O'Brien's initial effort was kept out by Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.

The result means Everton sit eighth in the table with 34 points, while Brighton are three points behind in 13th place.

It was Brighton who did all the early attacking in a goalless first half, which settled into a lull after the opening 20 minutes.

While Everton failed to fashion a single shot before the interval, Brighton had seven attempts - the last of which fell to Kaoru Mitoma in the 18th minute and was the best of the lot.

Exchanging passes with Danny Welbeck to get into the box, the Japan winger poked past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford but saw his effort roll wide of the far post.

But it was Everton who began the second half strongly, with Verbruggen denying Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall from close range after Thierno Barry had latched onto a poor back pass from Carlos Baleba and teed up the midfielder in the 67th minute.

Everton captain James Tarkowski then saw his header from a corner blocked on the line by his team-mate O'Brien, which proved costly when Brighton finally broke the deadlock a minute later.

Gross, who only rejoined the club from Borussia Dortmund this month, arrived at the end of a cross from Yasin Ayari to slot home in the 73rd minute.

But Brighton conceded a stoppage-time goal for the second game running as Beto ensured Everton left the south coast with a point.

Everton's push for a European place was dealt a blow this week as news emerged that injured Jack Grealish is expected to miss the rest of the season.

But David Moyes was boosted by the return of both Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jarrad Branthwaite to the starting line-up at Brighton.

Dewsbury-Hall contributed four goals and three assists before picking up a hamstring injury in December, while centre-back Branthwaite made his first start of the season.

Thierno Barry headed into the game with four goals in his past five appearances, but the striker hardly got a look-in during an underwhelming first half for the visitors.

However, Everton's response in the second half was impressive.

They had seven shots after the break, four of them on target, and Brighton's opener came firmly against the run of play.

But Moyes' side did not let their shoulders drop and found the leveller from almost the final passage of play.

Verbruggen could only parry O'Brien's shot into the path of Beto and the striker, who has been limited to bit-part roles in recent months, emerged the hero.

There was a video assistant referee (VAR) check on whether Tarkowski was interfering with play from an offside position, but it was ruled in Everton's favour.

The Toffees will go home the happier side, preserving their excellent record on the road with four wins, two draws and one defeat from past seven games.

And more importantly, they sit only two points behind their Merseyside rivals Liverpool and four behind fourth-placed Manchester United.

Fabian Hurzeler's decision to take off Carlos Baleba in the 81st minute at Craven Cottage last week was greeted with boos from the Brighton supporters.

It did not help the German manager's cause when Fulham found a 92nd-minute winner to leave the Seagulls with just one win in 10 league outings.

And there was a sense of deja vu on Saturday as more boos rang out at the Amex at the final whistle - this time after Beto snatched a certain victory from Hurzeler's grasp.

The Brighton players had looked determined to turn things around after last weekend's late defeat, and made a strong start.

Gross and Danny Welbeck went close to an opener in quick succession inside three minutes, before Welbeck had a header from a Maxim De Cuyper corner sail off target.

However, after Mitoma went agonisingly close to a breakthrough in the 18th minute, both teams cancelled each other out for the remainder of the half.

The second half began with persistent pressure from the Toffees, but Germany midfielder Gross produced the goal that would have came as a relief for his compatriot Hurzeler.

Gross' first Premier League goal since a penalty against Tottenham in February 2024 came just when it felt like Everton were having a foothold in the game.

But the visiting side's late reply means the Seagulls are now winless in their past five games, with pressure mounting on their manager.

Brighton will have another home fixture in the Premier League next, with Crystal Palace the visitors on Sunday, 8 February (14:00 GMT).

Meanwhile, Everton will make the trip to Craven Cottage to face Fulham on Saturday, 7 February (15:00).