Everton vs Crystal Palace: Match Preview | Toffees look to end positive week on a high
Yesterday at 12:14 PM
The takeover news has been a welcome boost following a difficult start to the season
Everton will look to end a hugely positive week on a high when they take on Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on Saturday.
News that a takeover deal with the Friedkin Group has been agreed was a huge boost for everyone involved with the Toffees and gives hope for a brighter future after a traumatic few year. There are still a few hurdles to overcome but after so many false dawns it does like this deal will get done.
The hard work does not end there though. An awful start to the season on the pitch leaves Everton 19th and one of six teams yet to pick up a win.
They started brightly against Leicester and took a deserved lead, but faded in the second half again and were left hanging on for a point. Injury and illness offer some mitigation, but Sean Dyche's set up and substitutions are also under the microscope.
But with key players starting to come back to offer more options, a win on Saturday could really jolt the season into life.
The opposition
There was plenty of optimism in south London in August after the ended the last campaign as one of the Premier League's form teams, winning six and drawing one of their final seven games.
They lost Joachim Anderson and Michael Olise over the summer but the fans still held hopes of maintaining that momentum,
But Oliver Glasner's side, like Everton, have yet to get going so far. They began with back-to-back defeats against Brentford and West Ham, before successive draws against Chelsea, Leicester and Manchester United.
That suggests they are not far away from rediscovering their form, though they need to overcome a poor recent record against The Toffees. They have won just one of the last 19 top-flight meetings, a 3-1 victory against Rafa Benitez's Blues in December 2021.
Previous meeting
Everton 1-1 Crystal Palace, 19 February 2024
The last of four meetings between the sides last season, Everton had to come from behind to earn a valuable point in their battle against the drop. A spectacular strike from Jordan Ayew put Palace ahead, but Amadou Onana's late header secured the draw.
Team news
Jarrad Branthwaite is in contention for the first time this season after recovering from a groin injury, though he may only make the bench.
Vitaly Mykolenko is available after recovering from illness, while Idrissa Gueye is set to return after he travelled back to Senegal following the death of his father.
Nathan Patterson is back in training after a hamstring injury but is not ready for a return. Seamus Coleman, Youseff Chermiti and Armando Broja are out longer term.
What they said
Everton boss Sean Dyche: "That attack has been better, certainly in the last two or three games. We're scoring and looking a real threat – and I thought we did against Leicester. And then it's also about finding that balance to tighten at the other end of the pitch, which last season, we did so well with 13 clean sheets.
"There's a knowledge base there of doing it. We know we've got to do it better and I thought there were strong signs in the last couple of games of that, and finding the open play to cause other teams' trouble and look a threat. We haven't been as clinical as we'd like, certainly against Leicester because we got into some great positions and has some good chances.
"And then, keeping the back door shut, which – yet again – we did better against Leicester, I thought. "I think there are better signs, but those better signs have got to bring wins. I think that's the biggest change, getting that winning edge back."
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner: "It's a very traditional stadium, great atmosphere. They are very loud, very enthusiastic fans. But we know there will be many Crystal Palace supporters who will support us, and this we will need tomorrow for sure.
"I think we know what we can expect from the game. They have a clear style of how they play: direct, very physical. [Dominic] Calvert-Lewin is a target player, quick wingers going into a one-v-one situations, crosses from everywhere off the pitch.
"They are very threatening in that place. This is how they scored many goals. They had a 2-0 lead against Bournemouth, they had a 2-0 lead against Aston Villa, they had the lead at Leicester, but at the end they never brought the lead over the finishing line.
"But we know they have a lot of power in their attacking style, but also they have some weaknesses in their defence to give you some spaces. Of course we have to neutralise their strengths, but we also have to use our chances and opportunities to score goals."
Final word
It would be very Everton to lose this game after such a positive week. The club has taken one forward only to take two back for years now. But there should be a more buoyant atmosphere following the takeover news so if they can harness that and get a result, it could really set things up for the rest of the season.
