Everton leave it late against Palace

The first half of this encounter started in rather frantic fashion, as both teams attempted to assert their own playing styles onto the game. Everton were keen to conduct their customary passing play, while Palace were keen to press them high up the pitch in order to force an error.

Sure enough, Palace’s plan proved successful at the beginning of the game, as the play became stretched, with the ‘Eagles’ nicking the ball on multiple occasions in the middle of the park and charging at the Everton back line.

Yet, however direct Palace approached the Everton box, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford was rarely troubled, with his back line standing resolute in front of him, and adopting a ‘let no man pass’ strategy.

Especially, the Everton defence paid particular attention to Palace danger man Wilfried Zaha, who on countless occasions, was unceremoniously dumped to the floor by whichever ‘Toffees’ defender was stood closest to him. That is, when he didn't shimmy around them.

Neither side was allowed to become comfortable in possession, as both teams deployed intense pressing strategies to good effect. Case in point, two high profile defensive errors, one from either side, that could have proved very costly but for fine margins of recovery.

 

October 21, 2018

The game reached the half hour mark before a clear-cut chance was produced; Everton's Gylfi Sigurdsson forcing Palace stopper Hennessey into a point blank block, after a neat exchange with Coleman to gain entry into the visitors box. 

Palace replied to this effort with a slight head of steam themselves. First  Milivojevic stung the palms of Pickford, as the Palace captain drove a long range set piece ferociously at goal.  Then, the subsequent corner kick led to the visitors striking the woodwork; Mamadou Sakho's header was deflected off an Everton defender, and was unlucky to bounce onto the goal line before being cleared. 

It was not for the want of trying.But this encounter, in spite of some frantic end to end football, would enter the interval goalless. 

 

October 21, 2018

After the break, hosts Everton appeared to restart this encounter with the words of their manager ringing firmly in their ears. They took control of the early stages of the second half, establishing consistent pressure on the Palace box.

However, no matter how much they passed and probed, the 'Toffees' could not squeeze any concrete chances out of a well-drilled Crystal Palace team.

In fact, it was Palace who managed to earn the first golden opportunity of the match, when they nicked possession in the midfield, and set Zaha free down the left hand side. Backpedalling full back Coleman could do nothing to prevent the Ivorian from tricking his way into the Everton box, and when in there, the Irishman managed to foul the winger. Palace had a penalty. 

The visitors seemed certain to take the lead, as Luka Milivojevic stepped up to the spot. Unfortunately for Palace, another inspired save from England keeper Jordan Pickford kept the scores level. A moment which they would rue come the end of the match.

 

October 21, 2018

The match resumed in its frenetic pattern.

Everton were keen to make the most of their lifeline, and almost immediately took the lead themselves. Theo Walcott broke through Palace lines, but the on-rushing Hennessey blocked the winger's low drive with his legs. 

As the final ten minutes approached, the game was still goal less, and looked destined to remain as such until the final whistle. Except for an inspired late substitution from Everton boss Marco Silva, this could have been the case. 

Nevertheless, the introductions of Cenk Tosun, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and youngster Ademola Lookman, would turn the fate of the match on its head.

 

October 21, 2018

In the 87th minute of the match, the second phase of an Everton corner came out to Lookman on the edge of the box. He coolly picked out striker Calvert -Lewin in the middle of the box with a delicate floated cross. The striker slammed his header into the top corner to give Everton the lead. 

Once again the match became stretched, yet this time it was Palace on the front foot, as they desperately searched for an equaliser from a match they seemed certain to draw. 

Sadly for the 'Eagles', it would be Everton who scored the next goal of the game. The 'Toffees' broke from a Palace attack, Cenk Tosun was put through on goal, and he drove the ball under Hennessey to end the contest.

The home side could have added a third late on, as Tosun hit the side netting of the Palace goal. Yet it would have been very unfair on Palace, had they lost by an even greater margin than the existing two goals.

 

October 21, 2018

Overall, the 2-0 defeat was perhaps a harsh reflection of the game, as both sides deserved a share of the spoils from a very tight encounter. 

However the moral of this story is that the more clinical side won. Palace boss Roy Hodgson was left ruing his side's penalty miss, as Everton tucked away their only two clear efforts on target.  

And so Everton, with their third consecutive League win for the first time in three years, move up to eighth. Meanwhile Palace continue their wretched run against Everton, without a win in eight now against the 'Merseysiders', and slip to fifteenth.