Blues ride their luck to chalk up a good opening win | OneFootball

Everton 2 - 0 Crystal Palace

Everton kick off the new Premier League season at Hill Dickinson Stadium this afternoon against Crystal Palace, still without a new right-back and Christian Norgaard out injured.

Optimism for the new season has to be tempered by some of the continuing realities that drag us down, the biggest being that David Moyes is in denial over last season being a failure -- no one told him we were supposed to try and get into Europe!

So can he be expected to turn over a new leaf, play forward attacking football, give decent playing time to the prodigious young talent he has on the books, try and actually win football games??? Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

Team News

Branthwaite, Rohl, Armstrong, Hackney and George will hopefully all prove to be good starting choices for this opening fixture, although Hackney is the only new signing. Brennan Johnson is on the bench where James Garner is fit enough to be named also after recovering from his hernia operation.

Christian Norgaard's 'minor' muscle injury continues to prevent him from starting his Everton playing career. No place for Adam Aznou, while Tim Iroegbunam is still out injured.

For the visitors, a familiar face in Dwight McNeil takes his place in the starting line-up, wearing Number 11.

First Half

Dewsbury-Hall got us off but there was no hoof from Pickford, but Everton soon lost possession, Wharton fouled. It was scrappy, especially when Tarkowski messed up a eader and Nketiah was in, Mateta clipping his shot over the bar, Phew!

George got forward and crossed in a little unconvincingly; cleared. Armstrong made a superb challenge on Whatron to prevent him launching an attack but Palace already looked quicker to the ball. But Dewsbury-Hall forced a turnover and again George seemed too hesitant to make the most of it.

Some good defending was needed from Rohl to stop Nketiah getting in around the back. But Palace surged forward when they got the ball and McNeil's shot needed blocking.

But Everton were struggling to match the intensity from Palace and ball fell to Munoz, Pickford forced to parry his shot.

A much better move finally saw Everton get forward but Ndiaye could only force a save from Henderson. They kept the ball around the Palace area but could not fashion a shot. Ndiaye looked to advance but tripped over the ball.

Ndiaye stole the ball and got Rohl running down the wing but no one had advanced to anticipate the cross. At the other end, a brilliant ball over the top to Nketiah looked a certain goal but Pickford got an excellent hand to it and onto the post... fantastic save!

It looked like Mateta might power his way past Tarkowski but the new Everton captain had other ideas. More stern defending required to keep Palace at bay as they hunted down the Blue shirts who needed to really up their game. But in possession, Everton were still far too slow in terms of decision-making, and reliant on the long ball.

One found George but his intentions were read by the Palace defender. A Mykolenko long throw posed no threat whatsoever. But a brilliant dribble from Ndiaye got everyone excited. A ball in saw Canvot kick Branthwaite in the Palace area but offside was called.  A daft VAR delay ensued before that was confirmed. Ridiculous.

Armstrong drew a foul wide right but the ball was played back to Pickford, then lost from a throw-in. Everton tried to play out but Rohl was dispossessed. Barry was then upturned by Kamada for the first yellow card.

Another worrying Palace drive was halted by good defensive work from George, almost spoilt by a terrible Pickford clearance, then Everton's counter too easily stalled.

Everton edged forward. George's shot cannoning off a defender for another long throw. This one caused more danger, Branthwaite getting the ball through to George whose shot was parried just wide of the far post -- from an offside position.

Another slow Everton attack, Dewsbury-Hall scooping a difficult cross behind for a goalkick. Another laboured passing sequence again failed to get the ball anywhere near the Palace goal while at the other end another incredible chance was created by Nketiah for Mateta who hit the post! By rights, the Blues should be 3-0 down, and Branthwaite hobbling, grasping his thigh...

Dewsbury-Hall did brilliantly to control a difficult ball and gallop away, playing in Barry for a perfect goal.... only for Barry to stumble on the ball and pass it to the defender.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (43') finally scored with a left-foot rocket after Armstrong superbly stole the ball off Munoz. An excellent piece of work from both players.

A faster attack stuttered a bit with George, but Hackney clipped over a great cross that won a corner. Dewsbury-Hall fired in a cross that was straight at Henderson.

Another incredible opportunity for Palace and it looked like Munoz would head home but George did enough to put him off and Everton went in 1-0 ahead rather than 3-1 down, their goal leading a charmed life.

Second Half

Palace restarted the game, but another brilliant steal by Hackney fed Barry for an early shot that he drove into a defender.  Ndiaye fed Rohl and his cross was blocked behind for a corner. Dewsbury-Hall floated it in, George eventually shooting, deflected behind for another Dewsbury-Hall corner, curling in under the bar.

Hackney and George combined, Hackney also shooting at a defender. Hackney and George combined well again, but it ended in a Palace goal-kick. Some lovely one-touch passing in the middle fed Dewsbury-Hall but this time he sliced it horribly high and wide.

Ndiaye was fouled wide right and a quick ball forward from Hackney saw wndiaye put in a beautiful ball to the far post was powered in by an ecstatic  Thierno Barry (54'). Changes from Palace in response.

Everton surged forward, Barry clipping a sweet cross into the path of Ndiaye who volleyed it into the ground, enabling Henderson to save it too easily.

Rohl did superbly in defence to stop anything developing. George went on another wonderful run, Ndiaye trying to shoot over the keeper into the far corner.  Some nice work from Armstrong failed to find a blue shirt but the Blues were playing with a lot more confidence.

Palace finally had a spell of sorts, only for Canvot to put the ball behind, and more changes required, Guessand shooting straight at Pickford.

A lovely bit of football almost played in Barry, Riad injuring himself and requiring the stretcher after a long pause for treatment.

Some more great attacking football from Everton thanks to Ndiaye, looking for a third goal, George having two bites of the cherry. Moyes made some changes after 79 minutes, with Palace doing most of the attacking. Brennan Johnson then getting his debut.

Dewsbury-Hall put a tasty cross over for Johnson that he couldn't quite reach.

Johnson was fouled and Dewsbury-Hall put in a strange low cross that almost forced an own-goal.  Johnson then had to do some good defensive work at the other end.

Garner then released Johnson down the right but good defending from Tomiyasu stops him. Beto gave the ball away and it led to a Palace attack that saw Larsen head the ball straight at Pickford.

Pickford launched the ball forward to Beto who looked like he might get beyond Richards and through on goal, only for him to do his usual two-left-feet routine and made a complete mess of it.

Alcaraz had a chance to shoot, created by Garner, but it was a feeble effort, and that was pretty much it, a very disjointed last period that saw Everton keep a clean sheet and ensure a top-half place in the Premier League table after the first round of games.

Teamsheets

Subs not Used: Travers, Patterson, Keane, O'Brien,  Dibling.

Subs not Used: Benítez, Mingueza, Sosa, Hughes.

Attendance: 51,820

Match Officials