28 September 2024
Everton 2 Crystal Palace 1
Everton fans were feeling far more positive this week as rumours circulated that the club had accepted a bid from the Friedkin Group to purchase the club. Immediately talk was of these new owners putting them back on the map and creating more financial stability. Since his ownership in 2016, Moshiri has ploughed in the region of £750m into the club, how much more is needed to awaken this ‘sleeping giant’ you wonder.
Sean Dyche’s side welcomed Crystal Palace to Goodison Park with both clubs still looking for their first win of the season. Even this early in the campaign, games such as this were already being looked at as ‘six pointers’. The Toffees had crumbled from winning positions in their last three games and patience was running thin with the Everton faithful.
The visitors started in positive mood. Eze was bundled over on the edge of the box and gave them a free kick in a dangerous position. The resulting set piece was drilled into the wall before Wharton’s follow-up deflected behind for a corner. As the cross came in, it was headed back across goal before Guehi stuck out a leg to tuck it past Pickford at his near post.
As the Palace defender ran away in celebration, the away end erupted at Goodison Park. The look on the home fans’ faces just underpinned a constant reoccurring nightmare. Dyche’s side just looked too easy to play against and they are leaking goals like Keir Starmer’s government. The only difference being that The Toffees cannot make the UK taxpayer cough up for their incompetency.
McNeil and Ndiaye started linking up well down the left flank. The former Burnley winger put a teasing ball into the box but Calvert-Lewin could not get a touch to send it towards goal. One of the big problems this season for Everton has been their impotency in front of goal. The closest they have come to seeing a striker in the flesh at the club was when Mick Lynch came to watch a game.
The Eagles continued to press and almost doubled their lead. As a cross came in, the header had Pickford beaten but it was cleared off the goal line. As another corner came in, Nketiah struck from the edge of the box. His effort was blocked but it looped up and headed towards goal. Everton’s keeper made a sketchy attempt to punch it clear but missed it, fortunate to see the ball then strike his legs and rebound away from goal.
Mateta then ran through on goal and used his physical strength to hold off Branthwaite. Tarkowksi then came through the back of him and left the striker in a heap on the floor. The referee waved away protests for a penalty and VAR backed the man in the middle. The replay showed it was a stonewall penalty and left you scratching your head as to why it wasn’t given.
The Everton defender may have got a touch on the ball but his follow through wiped out the Crystal Palace striker. It seems the VAR ‘three wise monkeys’ approach is never going to stop haunting Premier League football. See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. Not addressing this foul just shows how incompetent the whole process is. About as useful as an ashtray on motorbike.
Into the second half and a poor pass from Kamada was intercepted by Young. He laid it into the path of McNeil, who shifted it onto his left foot and bent one into the far corner. Goodison Park erupted as their team equalised in a game they were looking like sinking without a trace in. Palace had paid the price for failing to take their chances to put this game to bed.
Everton grew in confidence and as a cross was lifted into the back post, McNeil controlled it on the volley before drilling it past Henderson in the visitors’ goal. In the space of seven minutes Sean Dyche’s side had turned this game on its head. This is the grit and energy that the fans had been craving from their team since the start of the season.
Calvert-Lewin then played Doucoure in with a clear path straight through on goal. The midfielder seemed to take an age to pull the trigger, allowing Lacroix the time to get a sliding challenge in and take the ball from him. It still required a full-stretch save from Henderson nevertheless. It was a big chance for Everton to put this game to bed.
Oliver Glasner still seemed stunned on the touchline. He could not believe how his side were trailing in a game that they had dominated so much. More possession, twice as many shots as the hosts, yet they were staring another defeat in the face. The Eagles’ fans were rueing all those missed chances in the first half even more now.
The Toffees held on to claim their first win of the season. Over the course of the match they had only mustered two shots on target but both of them had gone in. They had stolen victory from the jaws of defeat. While the performance was far from vintage, all that mattered was the win. Everton supporters will now be hoping this can be the springboard to get their season started as they moved out of the bottom three, at the expense of the visitors.
Did you enjoy this article? Please share to your social media. With one click you can help spread the word and make Solid at the Back the one-stop shop for all Premier League fans.