Moyes admits: ''We survived early Palace surge to claim crucial opening victory''

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·23 August 2026

Moyes admits: ''We survived early Palace surge to claim crucial opening victory''

David Moyes admitted that Everton were made to work exceptionally hard and rode their luck in the opening stages before securing a 2–0 victory over Crystal Palace at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.

Goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry earned the Blues 3 points on the opening weekend of the Premier League season, but the Blues boss was candid regarding the team's early display and the areas where squad reinforcement remains essential.

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"At the beginning of the match, Palace looked much more structured and played better than us. It really took a while for us to get into the game. They hit the woodwork twice early on, and Jordan Pickford had to make a crucial save to keep us level. With a good deal of luck and a massive amount of effort from the lads, we managed to pull through and win it in the end. Getting off to a winning start at home gives us huge confidence going forward."

Moyes singled out several core performers alongside the younger members who stepped into the starting lineup:

Jordan Pickford & Dewsbury-Hall: "Jordan’s save in the first half kept us in the game at a pivotal moment. Kiernan showed his growing influence on this team — his finish was outstanding and gave us control when we needed it most."
Youngsters & Adapting Roles: "We had young players like Harrison Armstrong, Tyrique George, and Merlin Röhl stepping up. Merlin played out of position down the right side and showed great discipline. It wasn't always clean, but their work rate was top-class."
Thierno Barry's Development: "Thierno took his header really well off Iliman Ndiaye's cross, but we are still driving him to demand more from himself as he adapts."

Moyes also fielded questions regarding transfer market plans and a unique pre-match call involving Prime Minister Andy Burnham:

Right-Back Hunt: "We definitely would like a right-back before the window closes! Everyone knows the squad is short in a couple of positions, but the players on the pitch showed great character to get the job done today."
VIP Call: "Andy Burnham was down here today, and Peter Reid put him on the phone to me in the office before kickoff to wish us good luck! It’s nice to start the season with a win for everyone who came out to support us."