All the focus in the buildup to this huge Premier League clash at Goodison Park was rightfully on Crystal Palace, who saw manager Roy Hodgson step down just hours before the game. Hodgson departed having led the Eagles to just one win in their last six games in all competitions, and they were in desperate need to get a win against an Everton side who had one win in their last six games as well.
EVE: Pickford; Godfrey, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Young, Gueye, Garner, McNeil; Doucoure; Calvert-Lewin
CRY: Johnstone; Munoz, Andersen, Ward, Richards, Mitchell; Wharton, Lerma; Ayew, Edouard, Mateta
With incoming manager Oliver Glasner watching on from the stands, it was imperative that Palace started brightly on Merseyside, and that is what they did to an extent with Odsonne Edouard’s low ball in from the left almost reaching Jean-Philippe Mateta; only to be cut out by James Tarkowski. Odsonne Edouard’s low strike was also kept out by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford early on.
It was then Everton’s turn to put some pressure on their visitors, as Daniel Munoz’s clearance from an effort by Dwight McNeil saw Abdoulaye Doucoure fire a low strike of his own just wide. A wonderful cross in from Dwight McNeil also saw Dominic Calvert-Lewin somehow head the ball just wide of the top corner.
Some intricate buildup play from the away side almost saw the deadlock be broken, but Jefferson Lerma was unable to apply the finish as he sent the ball over the bar from 12 yards out.
As it were in the first half, Palace started the second half as the brighter of the two sides, with Tyrick Mitchell going the closest with a low strike that forced a good save out of Jordan Pickford at the near post. Odsonne Edouard’s bicycle kick from a corner also flew over the bar moments later.
James Garner had an excellent chance to put the Toffees in front with 55 minutes gone, but the former Nottingham Forest loanee’s effort was fired well above the bar. Vitaliy Mykolenko’s volley, however, was unlucky to see the same fate minutes later as the full-back’s ambitious strike was blocked.
Everton continued to pile the pressure on the Eagles, as James Tarkowski’s header forced a brilliant save out of Sam Johnstone in the Palace goal, and Abdoulaye Doucoure’s close-range rebound was cleared off the line by Daniel Munoz.
But where Everton couldn’t find a goal, Palace could, as the deadlock was finally broken halfway through the second half; and in some fashion. A goal kick by Sam Johnstone was played forward to Odsonne Edouard, who flicked it on to Jean-Philippe Mateta. The Frenchman then looked up and found Jordan Ayew, who drove the ball from long-range into the far corner past Jordan Pickford; a goal that had new Eagles boss Oliver Glasner beaming in the stands.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Toffees almost found an equaliser with ten minutes to go, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s header from Dwight McNeil’s cross in was misdirected and thus the ball travelled wide of the far post. James Garner’s fierce strike from Calvert-Lewin’s knockdown was also saved brilliantly by Sam Johnstone.
From the resulting corner, however, Everton did find their equaliser with five minutes to go. The corner from Dwight McNeil was right on the money as the ball in found Toffees substitute Amadou Onana, who tucked a header away at the far post to level matters late on at Goodison Park.
Both are back in Premier League action this Saturday, where Oliver Glasner’s first game in charge of Palace is a home match against fellow strugglers Burnley, and Everton make the trip down south to take on Brighton – both games kick off at 3pm.
