Everton 2-1 Crystal Palace: Match Report & Instant Reaction | McNeil ensures first win

Today at 02:46 PM

A first victory and three vital points kickstart the season after a super week for Evertonians

With the Friedkin Groups agreement to purchase the team this week, the general feeling has been one of growing optimism and today's game was another opportunity to continue to build on that positivism.

Everton's only defeat in the past 19 top-flight meetings (W9, D9) was a 3-1 loss at Selhurst Park in December 2021. The Eagles had won four of their first six Premier League games at Goodison Park but were winless in their last nine visits. In fact, Sean Dyche was unbeaten in his most recent eight league games as a manager against Crystal Palace. So, no need to play the match and just add the three points to the Toffees season total......right?

Team News

Everton defender Vitalii Mykolenko was back after illness, while Idrissa Gueye missed out after missing the draw at Leicester City after the death of his father. Centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite played a full 90 for the Under 21's and was back in the squad for the first time since last season. A huge positive for the Blues at the back. It was a little surprising to see Ashley Young take up the right back role in place of Garner but

Match Review

Andy Madley got the match underway with Everton kicking towards the Park End. Forever Everton was ringing around the Grand Old Lady in the bright sunshine which was blazing into the eyes of Pickford.

The two teams were cautiously feeling each other out in the early minutes. Palace were playing a back three so they did have a numerical advantage in the middle of the park. It took almost eight minutes before Doucoure pushed Eze on the edge of the box which resulted in a free kick that Eze immediately lined up but the Everton wall did their job.

The resulting corner was scrambled about and a deep corner was headed back and Guehi was there to poke the ball home. A tough start and not what the Blues needed. Everton were needing to come from behind to get the points.

Iliman Ndiaye was immediately driving at the Palace goal and a free kick forced a clearance from Henderson. A second free kick, this time from Lindstrom, was fizzed in and it was only Mateta's head that prevented a Tarkowski goal. Everton were pushing for the equalizer.

Everton continued to control the play and Mykolenko took a pot shot from well out which forced Henderson down to his right to smother the shot. A nice ball in from McNeil required Palace to head the ball behind to force a corner. The resulting corner could not be scrambled into the goal and the pressure was relieved.

Moments later, Ndiaye was creating havoc in the back for Palace and his slide rule pass back to McNeil was cross and any touch from Calvert Lewin would have been a goal but he seemed to jump over the ball in an attempt to back heel it into the net.

It seemed like Palace had watched Everton's deep corner move from last year and it created more troubles for the men in blue. Nketiah had a shot that was bravely headed away by Tarkowski preventing a certain goal.

Palace were loving playing on the counter attack and Mateta was creating issues for Tarkowski and Branthwaite. Although they had responded well to going behind, Everton had still not had a shot on net in more than thirty minutes. Another Everton corner saw Lindstrom swing it in which was cleared away and when Young passed it back to Pickford, the Goodison crowd let their feelings very clear and they were not happy.

A nice move down the left side saw Mykolenko put in a nice cross but Doucoure and McNeil got all crossed up and McNeil's header was poor. The ball went down the field and Mateta and Branthwaite fought for the ball and when Tarkowski cleared the ball away there was some discussion in the VAR booth whether it was a penalty. Thankfully, it was not.

The noise levels were rising again with Ndiaye putting himself around the pitch. Some sloppy giveaways by Everton changed the noise from cheers to jeers. In fact, as the whistle was blown for half time there were boos being delivered by the Goodison crowd.

Jesper Lindstrom was withdrawn to start the second half with Jack Harrison brought on. Everton had clearly been told to get their fingers out and it only took one minute for the game to be levelled. A poor turnover saw Young shift the ball inside to Dwight McNeil who absolutely laced it into the top corner giving Henderson no chance.

Everton continued to press and Harrison was working hard on the right side. It was getting the home crowd going. A free kick from Pickford at the half way line was lobed over the top of a high line and when Harrison controlled the ball brilliantly and turned, he crossed the ball to Dwight McNeil who calmly controlled the ball and slammed it past Henderson.

If turnaround is fair play then this turnaround was more than fair for Everton who have succumbed to the same too frequently this season. The lead was theirs but they were not satisfied and continued to push forward.

Palace had seen enough and Ismail Sarr was brought on to change the game. Palace were now the chasers and they did start to get control of the ball. It was now Everton who were counter attacking. Calvert Lewin headed the ball narrowly wide from a Dwight McNeil corner. Another lovely move down the right side saw some deft touches from the Blues but they could not make the final pass.

With nine minutes to go, McNeil and Mangala were replaced by Gueye and Garner. The reinforcements had arrived. Could they hold on?

A quick break from Palace saw Branthwaite clear the ball wide of the goal. The pressure was mounting but that gave Calvert Lewin more room. Eddie Nketiah was withdrawn for Jeffrey Schlupp which saw Palace shuffle their formation to match Everton's.

Another push by Everton saw Doucoure force a corner and the Gwladys Street was ready to suck the ball into the goal but they were not given the chance with Ndiaye barely getting the ball into the box.

Four minutes of additional time was announced as Pickford was doing his best to shake his head, wave his arms and avoid distributing the ball up the pitch. The Goodison crowd was sensing a victory and Spirit of the Blues was being loudly sung. A silly foul from James Garner gave Palace a chance and it was Dean Henderson who got his head on the ball but the ball went wide.

Andy Madley was being egged on by the whistling Evertonians and the referee finally succumbed to the pressure and blew the whistle to secure Everton's first win of the season.

Man of the Match - Dwight McNeil is an interesting player who frustrates fans when he dribbles into dead ends but at times like today his quality was there for all to see. His two goals were works of art for very different reasons. The first came out of nothing but his precise delivery would end up in the top corner and gave Henderson no chance. The second goal was delivered by Harrison and the deft touch and the blasted shot that followed. An all round solid performance.

Instant Reaction

The return of Jarrad Branthwaite from the start may have been a surprise but his impact was not. Throughout this season I have said that Tarkowski seemed to be off a step and in fact I think that he was just missing his partner to his left. Today, Branthwaite brought a calmness to the back line that has not been seen this season. His aerial presence against a very strong Mateta and his control of the ball were both seen throughout the match and Goodison was glad to see it.

Sean Dyche made an early change taking off Lindstrom and bringing on the work rate that is Jack Harrison. The change took no time to have a positive effect with Everton's right side being involved in both of the goals. At times this year, Dyche has also hesitated to change the players when there was a dropoff in their energy. Today, he did not wait. With ten minutes to go Garner and Gueye were called upon to replace the energy of McNeil and Mangala. Perhaps Dyche is learning from his mistakes.

At this point last year Everton had scored two goals in the league. Today, our total went up to seven. The changes in the squad are reaping benefits at the sharp end which we were severely lacking last year. Let us now hope that with the return of Branthwaite next to Tarkowski we can shut the door at the back and move up the table.