Crystal Palace vs Everton: Match Preview | The Saturday after the Wednesday before
14/02/2025 21:56
The Toffees are quickly back in league action as they head to south London
Calmed down yet? Stopped watching replays of the goal and the celebrations?
Didn't think so.
The final Goodison Park Merseyside lived up to expectations and then some. Ok, Everton did not get the win, but the most dramatic of finishes to secure a point was fitting what is likely to be the final game under the lights.
The scuffles on the pitch at full time will likely lead to charges for both clubs, but it just added to a blockbuster night of derby football.
As the dust settles Everton can also take satisfaction from another point that moves then 10 clear of the relegation zone with a vastly superior goal difference. Safety is not mathematically secured, but it would take an almighty resurgence from two of the bottom four, and a dramatic Everton collapse (both of which are still possible) for relegation to become an issue.
Therefore the earlier Everton can put things beyond doubt the better, especially with injuries beginning to mount and a tough set of April fixtures looming on the horizon.
The opposition
After a slow start Crystal Palace look to be peaking at the right time as we approach the season run-in.
Their defeat at Goodison in October was part of a run of five losses and just one win from the opening 13 Premier League games, leaving them out of the bottom three only on goal difference.
However, they have won six and lost just two of their subsequent 11 league games, lifting them up to 12th place and 11 points clear of the drop zone. They have also progressed in the FA Cup, with Championship Millwall standing between the Eagles and a place in the quarter-finals.
They do have a strangely poor record at home to the Toffees, winning just one of the past 20 meetings – a 3-1 victory under Rafa Benitez's Toffees in November 2021.
Previous meeting
Everton 2-1 Crystal Palace, 28 September 2024
Everton finally secured their first league win of the season at the fifth time of asking when the two sides met in October. Marc Guehi put Palace in front early on but two goals from Dwight McNeil after the break sealed the points.
Team news
David Moyes has confirmed Iliman Ndiaye has suffered a medial knee ligament injury and will be out for "weeks". Abdoulaye Doucoure is suspended after his post-match second yellow card against Liverpool
Other than that it is the same squad that faced the Reds, with Nathan Patterson, Orel Mangala, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Seamus Coleman, Armando Broja, Youssef Chermiti and Dwight McNeil sidelined.
What they said
Everton manager David Moyes: "Over recent years, everybody's brought Everton back down to Earth. So, why don't we try to keep Everton high for a wee while? Isn't it good there's positive talk about Everton for a change. We're getting great support, people behind us. I'm going to try to keep things upbeat as much as I can.
"The players have done brilliantly well. I couldn't praise them enough for what they've done. They've got so many good qualities. We're trying to make things better.
"We're trying to make things better in every other aspect if we can. We're trusting them and giving them the opportunity to show what they can do. I think a lot of them have done it."
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner: "We've been quite successful the last weeks and we want to stay consistent, but it's good to have options. There will be busier periods in the next months; now we have one week until Fulham [away], but then we have the next three-game week.
"I've enjoyed it [here] since the first day. I've always had great support from players - the club and everyone made it easy. There has always been great togetherness. We always stay together."
Final word
Everton have a great record at Selhurst Park but if I were a Palace fan I would think this is a good time to play a Toffees side who will have heavy legs after Wednesday, as well as a lengthy injury list.
A win would obviously be great, but a point would complete a satisfactory week's work.
