Match Preview
Everton head south this weekend for a third successive Premier League away game in the Capital as they take on Crystal Palace.
The Blues beat Brentford in September, vanquished West Ham a fortnight ago and would notch a hat-trick of wins over London clubs if they can win at Selhurst Park for the first time since September 2020.
Then, under Carlo Ancelotti when departed stars Richarlison and with James Rodriguez wearing Everton jerseys, they won 2-1, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin opening the scoring. They lost twice there the following season under Rafael Benitez and Frank Lampard but ground out a goalless draw with Dyche at the helm last April.
The Toffees’ No.9 bagged the winner at the London Stadium but didn’t register in either the Carabao Cup win over Burnley or the draw with Brighton last time out so he will, no doubt, be itching to get back among the goals.
Sean Dyche will see how both Amadou Onana and Jarrad Branthwaite fare in training on Friday before deciding on his starting XI.
The Belgium international was forced to sit out of last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Brighton having played the last few matches with a tight calf but has returned to full training.
Branthwaite, meanwhile, picked up what the manager described as a “knock”, presumably against the Seagulls, and will also be assessed during the final training session at Finch Farm while Abdoulaye Doucouré is hoping to shake off a bout of illness.
“We have a couple of knocks with Amadou and Jarrad’s got a bit of a knock,” Dyche said in his press conference today. “But we’re not expecting too many problems. Doucs had a bit of sickness but they’ve all been on the grass today so we’re hopeful on them.
“[Onana] has managed that well. He’s done well to get through the games that he [has done]. Hopefully we’ve managed that well as well and [the injury] has calmed down.
Seamus Coleman came through another hour of reserve team action earlier this week and is not yet sufficiently match-fit to start but he will be hoping that a place on the bench could be imminent.
Roy Hodgson, meanwhile, will be without forward Michael Olise who isn’t likely to return until after the international break because of a thigh problem; likewise James Tomkinson who has a calf issue. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi and goalkeeper Dean Henderson, who also have thigh injuries, are also ruled out with no projected return date.
Usually a difficult proposition in front of their rowdy home fans, Palace have only won once at home so far this season, that a 3-2 win over Wolves in early September. Two of their main danger men were on the scoresheet that day – Odsonne Edouard scored a brace and Eberechi Eze, who this week signed a new contract with the Eagles, nabbed what proved to be the winner.
They sat in 7th place that day but, having been held to goalless draws by Fulham and Nottingham Forest and then beaten by Tottenham on their home patch, Palace have slipped to 11th.
Having seen how his charges performed in their last two games on the road, Dyche will be confident Everton can get something out of this game to take back to Merseyside, particularly if he can name a full-strength side with Onana and Branthwaite included.
Kick-off: 3 pm, Saturday 11 November 2023
Referee: Sam Barrott
VAR: Andy Madley
Last Time: Crystal Palace 0 – 0 Everton
Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Onana, Garner, Harrison, McNeil, Doucouré, Calvert-Lewin