Match Report

At the halfway stage of what will, hopefully, be seen as a turning point for Everton’s season, the Blues had kicked off five home games in all competitions and either the team, Sean Dyche or both had been booed off the field in three of them.

Goodison Park was a pretty discontented place after 45 minutes against Crystal Palace this afternoon, the context of a winless start to the Premier League campaign weighing heavier when compounded by a dreadful first-half performance and the knowledge that Everton hadn’t ever either come from behind to win or registered a win on their own turf when the opposition had scored under this manager.

By full-time, the mood had been transformed by an effective half-time substitution, two fine Dwight McNeil goals and a fairly comfortable defensive stand to see out the game founded on the defensive rock that was the returning Jarrad Branthwaite.

The young centre-half made his first start of the season having finally recovered from hernia surgery and, a slight wobble early doors aside, slotted back into the defence like he’d never been away. There are lingering concerns over the side’s set-piece defending that let Palace take a first-half lead — on the other side of the box from Branthwaite, it should be noted — but there were plenty of positives to take from the day, mentality chief among them.

It’s not churlish to say that Dyche was bailed out to a degree by McNeil, who underlined his imperious ability to score wonder-goals with that wand of a left foot with the equaliser before popping up at the back post to rifle in the winner, because the manager’s decision to persist with Abdoulaye Doucouré in central midfield alongside Orel Mangala looked suspect in the first period.

He deserved credit, however, for hooking the visibly frustrated and ineffective Jesper Lindstrøm with an uncharacteristic change at the mid-way point in favour of Jack Harrison, who had arguably his most effective 45 minutes in a Blue shirt, and then introducing both Idrissa Gueye and James Garner to shore up the midfield later in the second half. He was rewarded with a first League win of the campaign and a platform on which to now build a run of results, hopefully one of those streaks of victories that underpinned last season’s survival.

Dyche blamed a, frankly, abysmal first half on nerves and the uncertainty in the stadium following Everton’s winless start and there is some merit to that as well. But, having again ceded criminal amounts of possession and managed a third of the number of touches in the opposition box than the Eagles, the issues appeared to be a lot deeper.

Under Oliver Glasner, Palace simply looked far better coached as they played through Everton’s midfield, with Adam Wharton and Eberechi Eze in particular finding time and space to dictate the game. And when Doucouré bundled the latter over unnecessarily to concede an eighth-minute free-kick and the former’s shot was deflected wide for a corner, the visitors took a 10th-minute lead.

The initial set-piece was cleared but only as far as Wharton, who scooped a cross to the far post where Maxence Lacroix out-jumped Doucouré and Guehi reacted fastest to the loose ball poke it over the line.

Everton remained unconvincing as they tried to respond. Iliman Ndiaye was electric once again with the ball at his feet but, all too often, it felt like he was going it alone down the left flank and it was hard to see where an Everton goal was going to come from, although they did have a couple of half-chances before the interval.

James Tarkowski’s header after a quarter of an hour might have caused Dean Henderson a scare had it not struck Guehi on its way to goal, McNeil drove a really tempting ball to near post but the freshly-shorn Dominic Calvert-Lewin either let it go hoping there was a blue shirt behind him or just failed to make contact, before McNeil himself tried to meet Vitalii Mykolenko’s whipped delivery from the right but his header lacked any kind of conviction and the ball dropped harmlessly wide.

In between, the Blues had almost given up a carbon copy of Palace’s opening goal when Jefferson Lerma popped up to easily win a header at the back post and Lacroix pounded but this time Ndiaye was on hand to smuggle the ball behind for a corner.

From the resulting set-piece, Eddie Nketiah’s curling effort was blocked superbly by a Tarkowski header but Jordan Pickford was fortunate that, as the looping ball spun goal-wards inside the six-yard box, it hit him rather than bouncing into the net.

And there was a couple of late chances for Drasner’s men to deepen the gloom inside Goodison late in the half when Lacroix arrived unmarked on the right side of the area from Palace’s perspective but failed to meet Eze’s cross while Wharton tested Pickford with a crisp volley.

Lindstrøm had thrown his arms in the air in despair late in the first period after the ball one more time and it was an obvious change to make to hook him, with Harrison coming on in his place for the second half.

Apparently with Seamus Coleman’s inspired words still ringing in their ears, Everton were markedly better after the break — more effective in the press, tighter in midfield, and more pro-active, the latter trait epitomised by Ashley Young who had another effective game.

The veteran read Daichi Kamada’s intended pass for Eze brilliantly, stepping up to intercept it, use Harrison as a decoy and then slip the ball inside to McNeil. He looked up in space and then feathered a beautiful curling shot over Henderson and into the top corner from 25 yards out.

Harrison, meanwhile, was directly involved as Everton seized the lead a few minutes later, bringing the ball down immaculately with his left foot, turning away from his man and then whipping a dangerous right-footed cross to the back stick. Nketiah stuck a leg but McNeil tracked it all the way as it bounced up off the striker's foot and then buried a volley inside the upright from close range.

From then on it was a case of Dyche’s men holding their nerve and seeing it out if they couldn’t add to their lead. They made it harder than it needed to be at times by being careless in possession, but the character of the contest had irrevocably changed and Palace’s key men in midfield were dealt with far more effectively.

A Munoz header dropped behind the always-dangerous Jean-Philippe Mateta in front of goal and was cleared while Branthwaite blocked a pile-driver from Eze and, instead, it was the hosts who came close to wrapping it up when Calvert-Lewin sent Doucouré away but, looking as though he was running through cement, he allowed Lacroix to catch him up and toe it off him before he could try and beat Henderson.

The finale was predictably nervy given what had happened against Bournemouth, Aston Villa and Southampton in recent weeks and the whistle when it came was met with huge relief inside Goodison.

Four points from the last two games has lifted the Blues out of the bottom three and, together with the takeover news from last Monday, helped improve the mood massively. It’s one win; no one should be getting carried away but as the injury, illness and fitness situation continues to improve, the ingredients are there for Dyche’s men to pick up the points they need to pull away from the danger zone in the coming weeks.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Updates

Everton are back at Goodison Park to host Crystal Palace in the first of two back-to-back home games that they hope will finally yield a first Premier League win of the season.

Jarrad Branthwaite is back in Everton's team after completing his very lengthy recovery from surgery on what was described initially as a 'minor' groin problem.

Sean Dyche is still without Nathan Patterson, Youseff Chemiti, and Arrnando Broja, but Idrissa Gana Gueye returns from a week of bereavement leave, mourning the death of his father in Senegal.

And as was widely expected, experience is preferred over the exuberance of youth at right-back with Ashley Young chosen again over Roman Dixon, who is not even named on the bench. 

The visitors kicked off in the autumn sunshine, and knocked the ball about, Pickford forced out of his area to clear. Branthwaite was almost caught out by Mateta as he tried to build an Everton attack. Young gave away an unnecessary free-kick that saw Nketiah almost win a corner off Tarkowski.

McNeil tried to drive forward but had the ball taken off his toes and Crystal Palace mounted an attack that required some stalwart defending before Ndiaye tried to break out with the ball but he was stalled. Matteta got behind the Everton line far too easily but the cross was cleared by Young. 

Palace surged again, Eze about to strike before Doucoure pushed him off the ball for a very dangerous free-kick 25 yards out. This was drilled into the large wall, then driven wide by Wharton. But from the corner, Guehi snuck it in as the ball was recycled at the far post, for a very soft opening goal that admittedly they had threatened from the start. 

Kamada fouled Ndiaye and McNeil delivered his free-kick high and wide to Tarkowski, the clearance coming to Ndiaye who jinked and jived to win a free-kick. That one was headed by Tarkowski into Guehi for an Everton corner that was punched clear as Branthwaite was dragged down by Wharton; no penalty given.

Palace attacked again, Tarkoski making desperate clearances for the Blues under siege.  The Blues were really making a mess of going forward, gifting the ball to Palace again. Young tried to get it don the wing to Calvert-Lewin who lost out to Lerma.

Everton tried to build an attack but it was very fragmented, Mykolenko trying a long-range shot that Henderson gathered at the near post. McNeil delivered a beautiful ball for Calvert-Lewin but as usual he was the wrong side of the defender. The ball was recycled a couple of time from the ensuing corner with no end result and Young agains fouuled his man as Palace broke out.

Mangal got the ball to McNeil who put in a superb cross and this time Calvert-Lewin was properly positioned would surely convert from 2 yards out… but no, he jumped out of the way of the ball!   

Palace went up and won a corner that almost saw a repeat of the goal at the far post, A tremendous shot from Nketih was headed up high by Tarkowski and came down on the goalline amongst a group of players, Pickfrd flapping at it wildly before Tarkowski finally booted the loose ball away. Classic Keystone Cops, Everton all at sixes and sevens. 

Everton tried to break forward again but Palace seemed to want every ball just that little bit more. McNeil tried to play in Calvert-Lewin with a nice ball but he was half-asleep. 

Everton tried some possession play that eventually won a corner, Lindstrom to the far post, delivered well but headed clear. Calvert-Lewin won a throw but then gave the ball away for another Crystal Palace attack that was upfield in a flash. 

A better attack saw McNeil play in Mykolenko for a cross that looped over Calvert-Lewin 

Tarkowski appeared to catch Mateta just inside the Everton penalty area but the referee did not think it was a foul and was backed up by VAR. But a free-kick for Palace further out was almost met by Lacroix at the far post, somehow missed.  

Palace again mounted a fearsome attack but Whaton fired it at Pickford. Eze was next but his shot was weak. Everton's possession lay was just too naive and simplistic as the sneaky Palace players used a number of dirty tricks to brush off the Everton players and recover the ball.

A hugely disappointing half with Everton comprehensively outplayed in virtually every area of the field, and a few muted boos on the half-time whistle. Simply not good enough from Everton and Dyche.

Harrison replaced the ineffective Lindstrom for the second half, a rash move by the normally conservative Sean Dyche. Harrison somehow won an early free-kick wide right, McNeil delivering it well but Guehi beat Calvert-Lewin to the ball.

But an absolute beauty of a curler from Dwight McNeil put Everton back into the game! 

Everton kept up the forward pressure, recirculating the ball around the Palace area with a lot more desire. Ndiaye got a chance to break from the half-way line and fed McNeil but his gift set-up to Calvert-Lewin saw the forward facing the wrong way and stumbling over the ball. 

A deep free-kick from Pickford was controlled brilliantly and crossed by Harrison to Dwight McNeil wide of the far post and he just controlled it beautifully before driving it home from a narrow angle for his second goal in less than 10 minutes! 

It had been all Everton since the break and they had their reward as Nketiah cynically held Mangala, but nothing came of the free-kick. Palace countered but Everton seemed to stop them and revere the flow much more easily, and MccNeil almost released Calvert-Lewin but his quick ball was a yard short. 

Palace looked to regroup around the hour mark, Munoz winning a corner off Ndiaye. Mykolenko gave away a soft free-kick but Pickford came off his line to gather the ball. But Everton seemed to have stopped snapping at the ball and Palace were getting a lot more time and possession again.  

Young and Calvert-Lewin combined well to won a corner that McNeil delivered to the far post but Calvert-Lewin caught it off the side of his head and missed the target. 

At the other end, Branthwaite did well against Mateta. Calvert-Lewin looked to release Harrison down the wing but Lacroix was across at pace. Doucoure foued Nketiah but Branthwaite headed the free-kick clear.

Ndiaye was too easily knocked off the ball and Palace were quickly up the wing, a cross to Mateta defended by Branthwaite. The Palace corner was cleared and Calvert-Lewin had a good footrace with Guehi.

Calvert-Lewin found himself driving down the channel but with no-one to cross to. Young fought off Lerma to cross but too deep for Calvert-Lewin. Ndiaye and McNeil tried to get forward down the left but messed it up and Palace got back into the Everton area, Mateta unable to profit from a good ball played back to him. 

Lerma put in a superb cross but Branthwaite was perfectly positioned to head it clear although it came to Eze and his shot needed the block by Tarkowski. But each Palace attack seemed to increasingly carry the threat they had in the first half.

Calvert-Lewin fed Doucoure for a breakaway although he looked offside as his treacle-deep run slowed to a pathetic stumble. Palace attacked again, winning a corner that was headed behind.

Calvert-Lewin stupidly kicked the ball away at a Palace free-kick for the first yellow card of the game.  But a decent Everton attack saw numerous circulations of the ball that eventually won a corner as they searched for that third goal. But Ndiaye's delivery was very poor.

That allowed Palace to venture out of the headlock they had been in, Branthwaite having to put it behind for a corner, delivered well but defended well; rinse and repeat for a second Palace corner as the final minutes ticked away, with 4 minutes added on — could Everton hang on to a precious win?

Another forward move by Palace saw Brantwaite forcing the ball behind for a goal-kick.  Garner was sucked into a silly foul on Guehi and Henderson came forward but could only head it behind and the Blues clung on for a very important 3 points.

Everton: Pickford [Y:90+3'], Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Doucoure, Mangala (83' Garner), Lindstrøm (46' Harrison), McNeil (83' Gana), Ndiaye, Calvert-Lewin [Y:84'].

Subs: Virginia, Keane, Beto, O’Brien, Iroegbunam, Armstrong.

Crystal Palace: Henderson, Munoz, Lacroix, Guehi, Lerma, Mitchell, Wharton (88' Hughes), Kamada (62' Sarr), Eze, Nketiah (&3' Schlupp), Mateta.

Subs: Turner, Ward, Clyne, Chalobah, Umeh, Agbinone.

Referee: Andy Madley
VAR: Graham Scott

Attendance: 38,954

Michael Kenrick

A sense of déjà vu

Up at 5:45 am, allowed the dogs out to pump ship then picked up my mate at 6:15. We got to Costa at Taunton Services to grab a much needed coffee and we were on our way on the coach by 7:45. The journey up to Goodison was uneventful with the sausage rolls I’d bought the day before from my favourite coffee shop in Bovey Tracey being the highlight.

We made it to the Harlech in time for a couple of beers with Bill and Brian and our West Country Blues Chairman, Ian Davies and it was good to see the remarkable John McFarlane still going to the game at 86 years old. Three pints gave change out of £10 – my local in Bovey Tracey would have charged around £17 for those drinks – the moral of the story being "If you want to get smashed, do it in Liverpool"!!

For once, I was in complete agreement with Sean Dyche’s team selection and was very disappointed in how they played in the first half. Palace scarcely allowed us the ball from the kick off and it was no surprise to see them score.

There has been some debate about Pickford not going for the cross. I’m no fan of Pickford and he should come for crosses rather than stay rooted to his line but this cross was too high and hung in the air, totally unsuitable for a keeper to try for it.

The defender (I couldn’t see who it was) could maybe have done better, and we do seem to concede a lot of goals like this one but credit to Palace, they thoroughly deserved to go in front. They almost scored a carbon copy a bit late in the half but Ndiaye was on the post and scuffed it behind for a corner.

We were not competing, Lindstrøm was completely anonymous – and I mean completely. Doucoure was running around but not where the ball was or to where it was going. Calvert-Lewin wasn’t in the game and the only bright spots were the superb Ndiaye, Mangala who was battling it out with three Palace players but never gave up and looked very decent, and the returning Branthwaite who grew into the game and was excellent.

I didn’t join in the boos at half-time – it’s not for me… but I could understand those who did. I think that booing or abusing individual players is out of order but showing displeasure in that way to the whole team seems a bit more acceptable, albeit I don’t see it as constructive. People know if they have underperformed and don’t need to be booed or abused, which can be very counter productive.

I said to my mate that it was amongst the worst first-half performances I had seen – poor in possession, second to loose balls, a failure by most to compete, lack of desire, lack of a proper structure – pretty awful, to be honest.

Out for the second half… and wow!!! From the kick-off, we were fired up. The crowd sensed it and started to vocalise, the players looked hungry and up for the fight and we really needed a goal before the fire burnt out.

What a goal it was, a scorcher of a shot from McNeil which no goalie would have saved. I was in the Upper Bullens close to the Street end and I picked up on the fans there starting to cheer a split second before the ball went in. 

The second goal was very well taken by McNeil who had battled hard in the first half without much support. The remainder of the game was managed very well with very few scary moments.

Everyone stepped up to the plate in the second half and I thought it was so similar to the 3-2 win over them a couple of years ago when we secured our safety. As in that game, our first half was dreadful but we then came on strong after the break, scored the goals we needed, then shut up shop. Very similar games, similar outcome and the fans, as in that previous game, really got behind the team in the second half.

Ndiaye looks a cracking player, ran himself into the ground and with a rejuvenated Calvert-Lewin, they gave us an outlet in the second half which must have come as some relief to the defence. Mangala is better than Gana, stronger, more skilful, and reads the game better.

A final word: Ashley Young was excellent, got stuck in, encouraged others and played very neat balls down his flank. 

A bit delayed going home due to a nasty looking crash on the M5 but I was home by 11:50 pm so not too bad. 

My ratings

Pickford – not his fault they scored but every time the ball is crossed in, he scares me. Not a fan! 5

Young – excellent throughout. 8

Tarkowski – much better with Jarrad alongside. 8

Branthwaite – what a miss he has been. 8

Mykolenko – solid. 7

Mangala – battled hard and played well against a very good Palace midfield. 7

Doucoure – contributed nothing, should have scored and ran without purpose. 3

McNeil – two fine goals and a good performance. 8

Lindstrøm – a point for appearing but to me he did absolutely nothing. Clearly one of those days! 1

Ndiaye – what a great signing. Great control, pace, strength, stamina – this boy is seriously good. 9

Calvert-Lewin – excellent second half and fought hard. 7

Harrison – a really good half from Jack. 8

Garner –  fought hard and was disciplined 7

Gana – held his position well 6

Dave Williams

Match Preview

Everton are back at Goodison Park to host Crystal Palace in the first of two back-to-back home games that they hope will finally yield a first Premier League win of the season.

The Blues have begun 2024-25 the same way they started last season, with a paltry point from the first 15 available but it was on match-week six that they belatedly picked up their first three points with a handsome 3-1 win at Brentford.

Sean Dyche will be hoping for a repeat against London opposition and he will be boosted by the return of at least one key player in the form of Jarrad Branthwaite who is expected to be included in the squad for this weekend's game after completing his recovery from surgery.

The 22-year-old spent the week before the draw with Leicester in full training and played the full 90 minutes of the Under-23s' 4-3 win over Sunderland last Sunday.

Now, with another week's training with the senior side, he is ready to play his first serious minutes of the campaign.

Sean Dyche indicated in his press conference that Branthwaite will be in his thinking for Saturday but did not specify whether he would be ready to start and resume his successful partnership with James Tarkowski.

Nathan Patterson and Seamus Coleman, meanwhile, are unlikely to feature against Palace but the Scot could, perhaps, be considered for the squad to face Newcastle next week.

Patterson played just over an hour for the Under-23s, suggesting that he is not as far along as Branthwaite in terms of his match readiness.

"Jarrad is in front of the curve compared to Patto," Dyche confirmed in his press conference today. "He is definitely in contention. He has done a lot of background work, he is looking stronger and feeling stronger.

"Patto's had a much longer period out with quite a serious injury. He's doing very well at the moment but that's a longer recovery period.

"Seamus is a bit longer, so too [Armando] Broja. Youssef [Chermiti] is a bit longer too, but we are beginning to look more rounded as a squad."

Idrissa Gueye and Vitalii Mykolenko will return to the squad after missing the Leicester game due to compassionate leave and illness respectively, although Dyche cautioned that the Senegal international hasn't trained much during his absence.

That could see Orel Mangala continue in central midfield after an impressive first Premier League start for Everton at the King Power Stadium alongside Abdoulaye Doucouré, who also performed well in the 1-1 draw.

With Mykolenko likely to start at left full-back, Ashley Young is expected to shift to right-back which would free James Garner up to vie with Doucouré, Mangala and Gueye for a starting berth in midfield.

Wide on the right, Jesper Lindstrøm will hope that he has done enough in successive starts against Southampton in the EFL Cup and at Leicester to have convinced the manager that he should keep his place at the expense of Jack Harrison.

The Dane has looked lively and linked up well in attack with the other front three of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Iliman Ndiaye and Dwight McNeil but has lacked a cutting edge in front of goal, squandering some gilt-edged chances to have already opened his account.

Like Everton, Palace are still searching for their first win of the season. Under Oliver Glasner, the Eagles finished last season in blistering form but have found it harder going early in this campaign even of they’ve managed to take a point from two of the so-called “Big 6” already.

A creditable 1-1 draw was secured at Chelsea, they drew 2-2 with Leicester thanks to an injury-time penalty and held Manchester United goalless last time out at Selhurst Park.

Glasner will be without the likes of Cheick Doucouré, Matheus França and Trevoh Chalobah as well as Rob Holding (absent for reasons unknown), but even having lost Michael Olise to Bayern Munich over the summer, he has plenty of talent at his disposal.

At the back, Marc Guehi remains highly sought-after by bigger clubs, Jean-Philippe Mateta is in form and Eberechi Eze poses a constant threat.

Having seen his side humbled by Brighton and Tottenham, throw away points against Bournemouth and Aston Villa and only take one from last weekend’s trip to Leicester, Dyche is in dire need of a victory.

There have been signs that, from an attacking point of view, results shouldn’t be too far away but hopefully the return of Branthwaite will help shore up the defence.

Kick-off: 3pm, Saturday 28 September 2024
Referee: Andy Madley
VAR: Graham Scott
Last time: Everton 1 - 1 Crystal Palace

Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Mangala, Doucouré, Lindstrøm, Ndiaye, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin

Lyndon Lloyd

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