Brighton & Hove Albion moved level on points with Newcastle United at the top of the Sky Bet Championship with a 3-0 victory over Derby County.
Goals from Anthony Knockaert, Sam Baldock and Glenn Murray gave Chris Hughton’s men a routine win, which kicked off the weekend’s EFL action live on Sky Sports.The Seagulls wasted no time in going ahead, with the magical Knockaert cutting in from the right-hand side and firing home with his left foot after only five minutes.
Murray went close with a header in a number of first-half chances for the hosts, which also included Baldock firing over.
But the striker didn’t have to wait too long for his goal, as he finished coolly after a prolonged spell of possession from his side just before the break.
Steve McClaren sent on Will Hughes and Craig Bryson at the break, but it failed to change the course of the match as Knockaert forced Carson into a save with an ambitious effort from distance just after the restart.
Matej Vydra had Derby’s best chance of the match on 63 minutes when he headed against the post from a Cyrus Christie cross, but that’s as good as it got for the Rams.
Murray turned and shot from inside the box only to be denied by a Chris Baird block, but the front man found the net a few minutes later, converting a Knockaert cross to score on what was his 300th career league start, wrapping up a vital three points for the Seagulls.
Table: Click here to see the Sky Bet Championship table