Everton rescue a precious point from another dismal display

Everton 1 - 1 Crystal Palace

Everton are back at Goodison Park under the lights for the televised Monday night game where they will take on new rivals in the bid to beat the drop in the form of Crystal Palace.

The Eagles arrive on the back of losing their venerable old manager, Roy Hodgson, who has just stepped down. Oliver Glsner has been appointed as his replacement but assistants Ray Lewington and Paddy McCarthy have been given the responsibility of managing the side this evening.

On the field, Crystal Palace forwards Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze are ruled out along with Cheick Doucouré, a significant miss in central midfield, while Marc Guehi is also sidelined and Will Hughes is a big doubt.

While Everton welcome back Abdoulaye Doucoure, whose ability to effect goals has been sorely missed in the 10 games where he was absent. Harrison makes way, joining Onana on the bench.

Another massive crowd was inside Goodison Park to see the visitors kick off, with some long balls to give the goalkeepers a feel of the ball. Palace tried to mount the first attack, the second phase winning a corner off a vital Trakowski intervention, but that was cleared.  

McNeil crossed in from deep and Calvert-Lewin almost got the ball back to Doucoure but they were crowded out. Mykolenko then found Calvert-Lewin with a good pass that saw him moving away from goal to keep possession. A deep ball from Tarkowski won Everton corner, Garner delivering it well enough but to a Palace head, followed by Edourad on the next ball in. 

A Palace free-kick had to be defended, Doucoure intercepting but McNeil had stood on Munoz's foot. A Branthwaite slip allowed Palace to play in Edouard who shot low at Pickford's feet. An Everton free-kick was easily dealt with and Everton's defence looked a little too open again on the counter but Mateta was offside.

A Pickford hoof was just too long for Calvert-Lewin. Another found McNeil and came back to Dououre but he could only shoot wide. Doucore should have found Young but his key outball pass was intercepted, but the eventual Palace foray was easily contained. However, Branthwaite's hoof from deep went straight through to Johnstone. 

Everton tried some more cultured football before the long outball to try and find Mykolenko also failed. Another deep forward ball was meant for McNeil but came off Anderson to Johnstone. If this was the game plan, it wasn't working yet. 

Another hoof ball aimed at Calvert-Lewin was easily managed by Andersen. McNeil got an early nall and delivered a peach of a cross, the kind of service  that Calvert-Lewin, who was in exactly the right position for once, would surely bury… but no, it cannoned off his head and behind. 

AN Everton free-kick saw a smart change of strategy, with a low ground ball to Calvert-Lewin drawing a poor foul by Lerma, just outside the Palace penalty area. Garner spooned it poorly high over the wall, the strikers, and the bar. 

Doucoure tried a very clever flick forward that caught Calvert-Lewin completely by surprise and what might have been a brilliant chance... wasn't.  But Mykolenko then put in a great cross with 3 Everton players under it, Young fluffing his lines this time. 

Palace came forward, Gana giving away a foul wide left that was delivered in well, with three more phases before Pickford could clear until Warton was fouled by Young. Everton looked to build on the ground with no way forward, and Pickford's hoof saw Young foul Mitchell trying to win the advance ball. 

Palace put in by far their most dangerous move but Lerma scooped the cutback well off target. Another deep free-kick by Pickford was dealt with again, Everton winning back possession but seriously unable to get forward by keeping the ball down.  

Two close encounters in midfield were waived on by Paul Tierney, leading to a set of Palace corners, the second cleared brilliantly by Young on the line. Calvert-Lewin won the cleared ball but could not get it to Mcneil. However, the tempo was upped significantly as Palace surged forward but could not fashion a chance despite a couple of attempts. 

Calvert-Lewin wanted a free-kick but he was backing into his marker as the game became more open in the minutes before half-time. Pickford shanked a tight clearance into touch. A freekick in the added minute summed up the half — overhit and wasted. 

And the game restarted as if it had never stopped, the kick-off back to Pickford, hoofed upfield and defended away. Young was judged to have fouled Mitchell but a Palace foul was seen in the Everton area. Young then fouled Andersen. 

Calvert-Lewin got on the end of another Pickford hoof but there was no-one else with him to head it to. McNeil tried to do something different when he collected a hoofed ball and came back to gain space but put too much on his forward pass. There was zero indication that the second half would be any better than the poor first half. 

Passing football almost broke out before Young was played a hospital pass. It really was abysmal fayre overall and the Goodison crowd were not at all happy. 

Calvert-Lewin had a run at the wing and Garner took a shot that was deflected behind. A poor mistake by Tarkowski et Mitchell in but Pickford was able to tackle him well. 

Everton were now getting stalled in midfield and Palace were able to get forward and win a corner that almost fell for them. Godfrey showed some good work to win the ball back in midfield but Everton still could not get the ball into the Palace area, good forward possession getting driven back. 

A free-kick was another chance for something from Garner and Mykolenko's second ball volley was tremendous but blocked away. The hour-mark... what about a sub or two, Sean?

Garner was robbed but did really well to recover, feeding Godfrey who ran the length of the field but McNeil could only win a corner. A fantastic Tarkowski header was somehow saved and teh follow-up bounced agonisingly by the far post, Doucoure unable to get any power on his shot that bobbled up with McNeil trying a diving header on the line before the ball was cleared. 

Dyche made the changes but immediately Jordan Ayew got the ball down and Mateta made no mistake with a tremendous strike to stun every Evertonian watching this unfold.  

Everton tried to respond, but there was no sign they were going to get anything from the difficult Palace defence. A deep Harrison cross dealt with well by Johnstone as Beto replaced Doucoure. Everton tried to penetrate with intricate passing that ultimately failed.  Crosses in were consistently repelled. 

Another Pickford hoof was taken in the air by Johnstone who fell awkwardly. Palace went forward to win a corner that needed defending, McNeil getting forward but not before the Palace defence had locked in place. 

EVeretom ponderously tried to build again, McNefinally getting in a decent cross to Calvert-Lewin but he was behind the defender, and still got his head to it, only to direct it the wrong side of the post. 

Everton got forward again, only to be frustrated until it fell to garner, who his his shot into the ground and it was well saved by Johnstone. But from the corner, Onana at the back of the pack looked like a rugby player in a line-out, towering over everyone to head down and into the Palace goal. Brilliant! 

Could Everton get forward again and actually win this? Now it seemed possible, Ahmad fouling McNeil, whose free-kick was headed over by Tarkowski with Onana better positioned behind him. 

Place rang more changes to break Everton's tempo. Onan tried to drive Beto and Calvert-Lewin forward but they were thwarted. Ayew tried to cause trouble at the other end as we entered he last minute of normal time with 6 minutes added on. 

Harrison delivered a fantastic cross out of nothing, over Calvert-Lewin and cleared before it reached Beto. Another Palace foul and another Everton free-kick but this one was taken short. Everton piled on the pressure but could not fashion a chance and were almost exposed on a Branthwaite back-pass. 

Lerma cynically blocked out Harrison and Palace worked their way forward to eat up more time in the corner, in front of their fans, before Paul Tierney finally blew for time. 

Everton: Pickford, Godfrey, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gana (66' Onana), Garner, Young (66' Harrison), Doucoure (72' Beto), McNeil, Calvert-Lewin.

Subs: Virginia, Lonergan, Patterson, Keane, Chermiti, Dobbin. 

Crystal Palace: Johnstone, Munoz, Ward, Andersen, Richards, Mitchell, Lerma  [Y:90+4'], Wharton, Ayew [Y:89'], Mateta, Edouard (72' Ahamada).

Subs: Henderson, Tomkins, Franca, Clyne, Riedewald, Ozoh, Umeh, Raymond.

 

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