Match Report

When you look at the post-match statistics from this game, they underline how annoying this result was for Everton who should, by rights, have left Selhurst Park with all three points and their sixth win from their last seven in the Premier League.

64% of the possession, 22 shots and 10 corners… six days after beating their third top-six team in succession with a 4-0 hammering of Manchester United, Everton travelled to Crystal Palace and controlled the game in the manner befitting their ambitions of breaking the hegemony of that “big six” cabal but left with just a point.

Unfortunately, while the dominance of the contest was there in combination with another impressive defensive performance, the requisite quality in the final third was not and in that sense, if nothing else, this game was instructive of what Everton still need in terms of additions to the squad if they are to achieve their aims over the next couple of seasons.

Ultimately, the fact that Marco Silva's side failed to unduly trouble Palace from dead-ball situations — for example, it's hard to recall any of the afore-mentioned corners leading to anything meaningful —and that only three of their efforts on goal were on target rather brings home the point that sometimes you need a player with the confidence and ability to produce a piece of magic or a deadly clinical striker who can make a difference on afternoons when things aren't quite clicking up front.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has relished the opportunity afforded him by Silva's lack of alternatives to put together an extended run in the Everton team and he has rightly received plaudits for his tireless work-rate and the effective way in which he has unsettled defenders from the four top-six teams that came to Goodison over the past couple of months and left with a mere point between them.

His efforts against those sides has enabled those around him to score the goals that beat Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United but it's also an unavoidable consequence of his position that when chances go begging, the focus of the conversation around what this Everton squad lacks inevitably falls on him as the centre-forward.

It's tough for a relatively inexperienced, still-developing young player tasked with leading the line for a Premier League side chasing European football but England's top flight is an unforgiving place where results are paramount which is why securing a reliable, dynamic and pacy striker to supplement the Calvert-Lewin remains the Blues' most pressing need in terms of recruitment.

That regular goals, acceleration and a ruthless streak have been the few missing attributes to the 22-year-old's game was illustrated on a couple of occasions within the first 10 minutes. Everton had survived a couple of early scares at one end, first when Christian Benteke broke into space off a fortunate ricochet in midfielder but was foiled by Jordan Pickford's block before referee Lee Mason pulled play back for a foul by Idrissa Gueye and then when Max Meyer drove the ball in the side-netting from a tight angle, before the Blues' created their first chance at the other.

Calvert-Lewin did well to pounce on the ball as Martin Kelly mis-judged Pickford's wind-assisted long kick downfield but he initially got it stuck under his feet and then ended up producing a powder-puff left-footed finish that was routine for Vicente Guaita in the Palace goal.

A couple of minutes later, another defensive slip, this time by Scott Dann, appeared to present the striker with a chance to create something but he was a fraction slow to anticipate it and couldn't stab it quickly past the covering man, either for himself or Bernard.

Not that Calvert-Lewin was the only one who looked slightly off his game in attacking areas. Richarlison had the chance to run at the defence in the ninth minute but elected not to play Gylfi Sigurdsson in and was tackled while a succession of attempted crosses from both flanks and shots were blocked or deflected behind.

Calvert-Lewin, meanwhile, would spurn a couple of decent headed chances before half-time, despatching one disappointingly over the bar and the other straight at the goalkeeper while Gueye tried his luck from 20 yards but his effort was also comfortably saved.

The second half began in the same manner as had the first, with Palace attacking early and putting the ball into the side-netting — James McArthur the one this time to fail to work Pickford — but Everton very quickly grabbed hold of the game once more and would dictate things until the final whistle.

Perhaps needing a touch of fortune to carry them over the line, the Blues found Lady Luck looking in the opposite direction with Bernard seeing his low shot bounce off the base of the post via a deflection off a defender and Lucas Digne almost guiding a cross in off the back post, again via a deflection, but the ball came off the woodwork and out.

In between, after Cenk Tosun was introduced in place of Calvert-Lewin to perhaps provide a surer touch on the ball up front, the Turk came as close as anyone would to winning the game. The impressive duo of Morgan Schneiderlin and Gueye combined in the centre circle to halt a Palace move and begin another Everton attack that ended with Seamus Coleman collecting Richarlison's nutmeg through Patrick van Aanholt's legs ball in an advanced area down the right flank.

His low cross was behind Tosun but the striker back-heeled it brilliantly towards goal, only to be denied by an instinctive, point-blank save by Guaita.

If there was a criticism of Silva it was that his substitutions in a game that felt like it needed an injection of fresh ideas earlier in the half, it was that the Portuguese delayed his second and third changes until the 84th and 86th minutes respectively.

Ademola Lookman came on for Sigurdsson and Theo Walcott for Bernard but while the young winger immediately went on a mazy run that unsettled the Palace defence, neither had much time to make a much of a difference.

Instead, Everton were forced to settle for a draw that, in the context of Wolves's 2-1 win at Watford, probably ends the Toffees' pursuit of seventh place. That may end up being a blessing in disguise and, again, there was much to learn from this display in terms of how much the team is doing right and what is needed by way of injection of genuine of quality this summer to move the club up a level next season.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Updates

Everton returned to London for the penultimate time this season to take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park but a swirling wind was blamed for innumerable errors that spoilt this game as a contest.

Richarlison was declared fit enough to start after rib problems from last week's impressive win over Man Utd. Morgan Schneiderlin was also in the starting line-up, filling in for Gomes, whose ban contiues.

Everton got things started, playing all in white, with a hoof upfield from Zouma that went out of play. Benteke almost got the ball over Pickford after being offside, but Palace got a free kick and a cross was driven behind.

Everton were too slow in the build-up, yet Calvert-Lewin did get loose off a huge Pickford clearance and looked to score but a hopeless effort dribbled into the arms of Guaita. Calvert-Lewin was gifted the ball again by Scott Dann, but his control was abysmal and the chance was gone.

Richarlison was the next to demonstrate horrible ball control, losing possession under the slightest pressure as he advanced. Milivojevic went in Lee Mason's little book for taking out Kurt Zouma inside 10 minutes. A Digne long throw came to nought.

Everton were beginning to control the play better, Gueye's shot deflecting behind for a corner taken by Digne, an inswinger but horribly low, wasted. Nice movement down the left won a second corner by Sigurdsson, cleared but second phase for Everton, Coleman crossing well, some great pressure, Sigurdsson unable to pull the trigger.

Richarlison got around the back but the cross was pushed behind; Digne's second corner was no better than the first. That led to a rare ball for Pickford to field, as Everton built slowly from the back again. Sigurdsson was fouled, ignored by Mason, then slips but recovers and regains the ball, Mason then blowing the other way! Astounding incompetence from one of England's 'best' refereees?

Richarlison was clipped by Dann, Sigurdsson and Digne debating the strike from a long way out, delivered in well by Sigurdsson, Kelly getting it behind. Digne delivered from the left, a little better but lacking the required power.

Palace won a soft free-kick, then a corner, that was cleared by Everton but Palace applied some rare pressure, Milivojevic lashing high and wide. Slow build-up was spoilt by giveaways from Bernard then Richarlison but Coleman eventually swung in a cross that was too difficult for Calvert-Lewin to get his head around.

Coleman gave away a dangerous free-kick down Everton's right but nothing came of it, and another phase of painfully slow build-up from the back ensued. 35 passes later, Barnard does an inadvertent Panenka to mess up the nice ball forward by Digne.

Another move down the right stalled when Richarlison slowed and then gave up the ball. A slightly faster attack followed but it ended with another soft free-kick to the home side. Coleman delivered a nice ball right onto Calvert-Lewin's noggin but his body position and technique were all wrong and it bounced harmlessly off the top of his head.

A much more lively move say Digne play in Richarlison but the Brazilian was again intimidated by defenders in front of him and weakly surrendered the ball to them without really trying. Calvert-Lewin got free on the right but could only drive at the defender. Gueye at least got his shot on target but it was too weak to beat Guaita.

Richarlison did a little better, firing in a tasty cross for Calvert-Lewin who was two feet behind the ball and another chance to score went begging. Everton tried to move the ball forward but it ended up coming back at them as the half-time break approached, Everton passing the parcel until the whistle, a frustrating half of Everton dominance with zero end-product.

The game resumed, with the wind a factor, apparently. Players don't like it, Palace came close and won a corner that was worked around and drive into the side netting by McArthur. Palace seemed to have more of the game in the first 5 mins of the second half than the entire first half.

But Everton won a corner, Sigurdsson delivering it better, Richarlison getting to redirect it not quite goalwards. Calvert-Lewin got forward down the right but his cross evaded two white shirts. Bernard dug out a shot that was deflected onto the foot of the post, the game having more tempo than periods of the first half.

Richarliosn looked to get around Van Arnholt but the defender was too quick for him, getting the ball away smartly before the Brazilian collapsed over his outstretched leg, screaming for a non-existent penalty claim. Zaha looked to break but he ran into the indomitable Idrissa Gana Gueye.

Calvert-Lewin did well to gain space but played a horrible ball in the vague direction of Coleman. The ball was worked around in two or three more phases but no end product for Everton: a goal-kick for Crystal Palace.

Palace had a good spell, penetrating the Everton area with precision, and winning a couple of corners, but Everton defended well enough, before Gueye gifted the ball in midfield, The Whites living a little dangerously. A goal seemed closer than ever, but which way would it go?

Surely a peach of a cross from Coleman would be converted... but no, it evaded those white shirts yet again. From an Everton corner perhaps? No; Sigurdsson does not beat the first defender. Pickford joined in the exhibition of poor directional control, lashing one of his famous clearances beyond Coleman and straight out of play. A long throw from Digne was even too powerful for Zouma!

The ball was moved brightly down the left but only came back, Coleman tried a shot but seemed to be impeded, and changes were then mandated from both benched. Calvert-Lewin, who had been characteristically absolutely hopeless at scoring, was replaced by Tosun, whose record is just as bad.

Palace threatened and Kouyate passed t well beyond Pickford's post. He then saw yellow after an elaborate dive and role from the poleaxed Richarlison. But Palace were now running at Everton with noticeably more freedo,m Benteke, Kouytae and Townsend all being invited by the backtracking White shirts to break the deadlock.

Coleman got in a great cross that Tosun smartly backheeled at goal, bringing out a fantastic one-handed reaction save from Guaita... and it remained 0-0 approaching the final 10 mins.

Sigurdsson worked a nice cutback for Gueye whose shot was blocked. More Everton pressure from another corner, Digne's delivery just not good enough. Richarlison tried to shoot when a layoff might have created more, Lookman replacing Bernard. Everton's 10th corner went the way of the previous nine... the ball working its way around the Palace area yet again to no effect. Walcott replaced Sigurdsson, the final uninspriring change of the day,

Coleman in acres of space drove his cross into the side netting, summing up the problem in Everton's impotent attack. Digne's deflected cross hit the post and bounced out as Everton pressure still produced nothing of note.

A late corner for the home side was cleared and the lack of quality in so many aspects of the game was all we were left with.

Scorers: None.

Crystal Palace: Guaita; Wan-Bissaka, Kelly, Dann, van Aanholt; McArthur, Milivojevic [Y:10'], Kouyate [Y:74'], Meyer (72' Townsend); Benteke, Zaha.
Subs: Henessey, Ward, Ayew, Batshuyai, Sako, Riedewald.

Everton: Pickford; Coleman, Keane, Zouma, Digne; Schneiderlin, Gueye; Richarlison, Sigurdsson (86' Walcott), Bernard (84' Lookman); Calvert-Lewin (72' Tosun).
Subs not Used: Stekelenburg, Baines, Jagielka, McCarthy.

Referee: Lee Mason

Michael Kenrick

Match Preview

Everton return to London for the penultimate time this season to take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park as they look to maintain their push for a seventh-place finish.

The Blues were embarrassed on their last visit to the Capital when they went down 2-0 to relegated Fulham but they atoned in spectacular fashion on Sunday by whipping Manchester United 4-0. Marco Silva will be hoping, however, that enough of the sting of that defeat at Craven Cottage remains to spur his charges to victory over Palace.

Everton come into the weekend sitting two points behind the current occupants of seventh position, Wolves, but know that the fact that Nuno Espirito Santo's side will be playing eighth-placed Watford means that whatever the result is at Vicarage Road will be of benefit.

They will be hosted by a dangerous but erratic Palace team, however, one that has lost five and won five of their last 10 games in all competitions but which also beat Arsenal 3-2 at the Emirates in their last outing. And as tricky a venue as this can be and for all the problems the Eagles have caused Everton at Goodison Park in recent years, the Blues haven't lost at Selhurst Park since Palace regained promotion in 2013, winning twice and drawing the other three.

That will bode well if Silva can draw out of his players the kind of performance that put on against United or, perhaps more aptly, the won at the London Stadium that comprehensively beat West Ham at the end of last month.

The Portuguese looks likely to be without Richarlison this weekend, however, with the Brazilian struggling with the rib injury he sustained against Manchester United on Sunday.

Richarlison, who scored the opening goal in the Toffees' 4-0 romp past the Red Devils at Goodison Park, went down injured late on the first half and reappeared after half time but then had to be substituted five minutes into the second half.

Silva, explained in his pre-match press conference this afternoon that the winger is a “major doubt” for the Palace game but that Lucas Digne, who came off himself late in the match against United with a foot injury, has been cleared to play.

Meanwhile, Theo Walcott, another of the goal scorers on Sunday, has been battling a virus this week and will be assessed tomorrow before the manager makes a decision over his starting XI.

Silva also said that Yerry Mina has resumed training with the first team after recovering from a hamstring problem sustained on international duty for Colombia last month. André Gomes serves the second game of his three-match ban.

Roy Hodgson, meanwhile, is without defenders James Tomkins (groin) and Mamadou Sakho (knee) as well as Jeff Schlupp who, like Tomkins, has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.

As both Manchester clubs and even Brighton have shown in recent weeks, this Palace side can be vulnerable defensively but if Wilfried Zaha is in the mood and with Christian Benteke's aerial presence, they can also be dangerous.

Neither should cause Everton all that many problems if the Blues can keep as defensively impregnable as they have been in recent weeks, the trips to Newcastle and Fulham aside. A win would keep Silva's men very much in the hunt for seventh going into the final two games.

Kick-off: 3pm, Saturday 27 April, 2019
Referee: Lee Mason
Last Time: Crystal Palace 2-2 Everton

Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Zouma, Digne, Gueye, Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Bernard, Walcott, Calvert-Lewin

Lyndon Lloyd

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