Crystal Palace 1 – 2 Everton
After the intense last-minute drama of Wednesday night, David Moyes must reinvigorate his dwindling resources as the team head to South London and a televised early evening game at Selhurst Park.
The impact from that midweek game which saw a vital point salvaged at the end includes medial ligament damage to Iliman Ndaye’s knee that will keep him out for an unspecified time, and that represents a massive loss to the limited creativity of the side.
Also, Abdoulaye Doucoure misses the game as a result of the red card Michael Oliver showed him for celebrating in front of the Liverpool fans and then being assaulted by Curtis Jones, who was also show na red card.
Ndiaye and Doucoure bring the total number of Everton players missing to nine: Mangala, McNeil, Chermiti, Broja, Calvert-Lewin, Patterson and Coleman are all out injured, leaving David Moyes with a few very limited options for adjusting his team selection to counter the threat that Crystal Palace present, with Charly Alcaraz given his first start, Harrison replacing Ndiaye.
And there are now four young lads from the Everton Academy on the bench: Martin Sherif (18); Coby Ebere (19); Isaac Heath, (20) and Roman Dixon (20) — albeit just making up the numbers, with no intention that they would be called upon.
First Half
Everton kicked off in the established manner, Pickford’s punt conceding possession, Branthwaite then trying to release Lindstrom. The early exchanges saw Alcaraz easily robbed but he did well to win it back moments later, then he was fouled in midfield.
But Tarkowski put Branthwaite in difficulty, with Mateta the one to profit, Pickford saving his shot confidently, before Devenny did a reprise, forcing a similar save from the Everton goalkeeper. Alcaraz got Everton into the Palace penalty area for the first time but Hughes went for the ball as he made to shoot and the Palace man was given the debatable free-kick decision.
Palace forced an attack but the ball was cleared and Everton tried to build with Beto testing Lacroix. Hughes was given space to shoot but finally closed down as he did, Everton living on their defensive wits until Beto almost released Alcaraz, getting his shirt pulled by Hughes – but no yellow card – nor when Harrison then caught Hughes.
Pickford made a fabulous save when Guehi headed an excellent Lacroix cross powerfully at goal. Fromm the corner, Lerma powered his header into the net but the officials thankfully thought it had drifted out of play and VAR kindly failed to overturn the onfield decision, although it looked marginal at best.
Everton finally got forward for a spell of play in Palace aresa. On the second attempt, Harrison put in a low cross that was slightly defected and evaded three Everton players looking to convert. But Palace responded, mounting a frenetic attack of their own, with Mateta fouled but advantage played.
It was end to end as Beto cleared a Palace attack and then drove forward, the game being very competitive on both sides. Gueye won the ball cleverly from Hughes but Harrison could not follow through and Palace looked to break but Pickford was out smartly.
Alcaraz set Harrison off again and his deep cross to Lindstrom was volleyed in smartly, Henderson and Lacroix colliding, with Beto going a fraction too far forward. Henderson needed treatment before the game resumed, Alcaraz snatching a chance to test him from distance, but not enough guile or power on his shot.
Harrison got the ball and played it in for Alcaraz to have another attempt but this one was horribly mishit. Lacroix rolled a dangerous ball through to Mateta, Pickford out briskly to intercept. Place return with interest but it became messy in the Everton area and the whistle was blown.
At the other end, Beto tried to cause more havoc but only fouled his man. Everton should have advanced from O’Brien’s interception but it was Palace who attacked again, the ball finally coming through to Pickford.
Palace worked their way through the Everton defence, Richards forcing his way through and Shar rattling the bar with an incredible shot from close range when it looked easier to score. It seemed to shake everyone up and Alcaraz worked very hard to cheekily steal the ball at a Palace throw-in and play in Beto who squeezed it between Munoz and Henderson, into the Palace net for an excellent Everton goal to give them the lead.
Mykolenko was chopped down, but Branthwaite’s free-kick didn’t quite reach Lindstrom. Palace were awarded a free kick in added time, Pickford catching it competently. It had been a very lively first half – made all the better by that splendid goal created by Alcaraz and finished superbly by Beto.
Second Half
The home side won an early free kick that forced a corner, the ball falling to Mateta after O’Brien and Tarkowski went for the same ball, and he slotted it past Pickford, confirmed after a ridiculously long VAR check.
Everton tried to respond but a lot of silly head tennis thwarted that, Eze showing how to progress the ball forward and shoot powerfully, just over the Everton bar. But Everton responded, Beto setting up Lindstrom for possibly his best shot at goal, anticipated brilliantly by Henderson, who pawed it away.
Palace then countered, and forced a corner, with Everton’s defence looking shaky, having finally been penetrated. But still Everton pushed forward, Alcaraz having his shot blocked by Hughes.
A great Everton move saw Lindstrom beat his man and cross to Beto who tried to be a little too subtle this time and Henderson and Lacroix somehow kept it out. Alcaraz was called for a strong shoulder charge on Guehi.
Palace had been boosted by the goal and some key substitutions, with Everton struggling to adjust as they came under repeated bombardment. An Eze corner was headed away by Branthwaite. Everton got forward, Gueye’s shoot deflected wide for an Everton corner but Place broke and Garner had to stop Eze, for the first yellow card of the game.
Everton looked to build again but Harrison’s loose cross put an end to it. Palace countered and Chilwell’s shot across goal forced a fingertip save from Pickford and a corner that needed plenty of defending at was recycled a few times before going out for a goal kick.
70 minutes gone and still no subs for what must be an exhausted Everton side looking now to protect a precious point. But it was still really competitive in midfield, with Alcaraz almost chiselling out an opportunity that was blocked for Beto.
Gueye stole the ball off Wharton and fed Beto but his cross cum shot was neither one thing nor the other, and he was finally flagged offside. Ashley Young finally came on for Jesper Lindstrom.
Branthwaite’s free-kick was sent in to Harrison, a cross was dug out to the far post. O’Brien’s attempt came out to Young whose shot bounced back off Wharton to Charly Alcaraz who made absolutely no mistake to give Everton the lead again. Brilliant stuff from the Blues!
Palace tried to respond but Beto threw himself in front of a defender, winning another free-kick, but it was wasted. Branthwaite needed to make a very clever intervention to stop Mateta without fouling him as Everton sought to take the sting out of the final minutes. Eze got free but fired wide across goal.
The frenetic pace of the game would not let up though, with Beto and Harrison up for the chase to put more pressure on a very frustrated Palace side. Only 6 minutes added on despite 7 subs and 5 minutes for VAR.
Beto did very well to win the ball high up and push it out to Young but he could not win the corner and Palace came back for more. A fantastic Palace cross in to the far post was defended brilliantly and Everton continued to battle for the ball against the relentless efforts of their opponents.
A fine Chilwell cross was headed away by Branthwaite, then Tarkowski was very smart in denying Mateta. The ball almost fell to one of three Palace players but it was belted away. The pressure on Everton was intense but Everton could finally celebrate a massive win.
Line-Ups
Crystal Palace: Henderson, Munoz, Richards, Lacroix (86’ Nketiah), Guehi, Mitchell (60’ Chilwell), Hughes (86’ Kamada), Lerma (46’ Wharton), Sarr, Devenny (46’ Eze), Mateta.
Subs not Used: Turner, Clyne, Esse, Kporha.
Everton: Pickford, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gana, Garner [Y:67’], Alcaraz (86’ Iroegbunam), Lindstrom (79’ Young), Harrison, Beto.
Subs not Used: Virginia, Begovic, Keane, Sherif, Dixon, Heath, Ebere.
Referee: Anthony Taylor