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Ronald Koeman says Everton not meeting expectations after Brighton draw

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Everton boss Ronald Koeman says eight points from eight games is not good enough

Ronald Koeman admits that Everton's points tally from the opening eight matches of the Premier League season is not good enough.

The Dutchman brought in a number of big-money players over the summer, but they have won only two of their first eight matches and needed a 90th-minute Wayne Rooney penalty to earn a 1-1 draw with newly-promoted Brighton on Sunday.

And the Everton manager says a return of eight points from eight matches has not met his expectations.

"That's not good enough, we know that," Koeman told Sky Sports.

"We work hard and we fight, but we know it's a difficult competition. But I'm proud of the team and what they showed today in a really difficult situation.

"That's the way we need to come out and win games - and we will do that."

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Watch highlights of Brighton 1-1 Everton

However, Koeman says he is able to cope with the pressure as questions increase over his own position after another disappointing result.

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"My whole football life is pressure," he added.

"If I don't get pressure from outside I put pressure from inside onto myself."

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Anthony Knockaert's 82nd-minute goal put Everton on the brink of a fifth defeat in six league games, before they were awarded a last-gasp penalty when Brighton defender Bruno elbowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

But Koeman insists they should have had a penalty earlier in the match when Gylfi Sigurdsson's shirt was pulled by Pascal Gross.

"It's a penalty," he said. "If the referee sees the clip after the game he will see that's a penalty. He can't see it and we can't complain about the referee today.

Nikola Vlasic, Michael Keane and Jordan Pickford applaud the crowd after the draw with Brighton
Image: Nikola Vlasic, Michael Keane and Jordan Pickford applaud the crowd after the draw with Brighton

"He did really well, but yes, it was an earlier situation of penalty."

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