CRYSTAL PALACE 0-0 EVERTON

These two teams played out a 0-0 draw back in April and despite a few weeks rest and some transfer activity it seems as though nothing has changed in those last 4 months.

The pre-match hype for this game was centered around Everton’s failed bid to bring in Wilfried Zaha from Palace. The Blues wanted to prize Zaha from Selhurst Park and the player himself put in a transfer request and was sent home early from training earlier in the week in an attempt to force through a move to Goodison Park.

Palace boss Roy Hodgson claimed beforehand that he decided it would be safer not to select Zaha in his starting lineup, but the way Palace started the game he may have wished he would have started Zaha afterall.

It was the visitors who settled the quicker of the two sides and Gylfi Sigurdsson missed a gilt-edged chance in the opening 90 seconds. Lucas Digne put in a cross which was only half-cleared by Martin Kelly, the ball fell nicely to the Icelandic midfielder but he tamely shot wide when unmarked and well placed to put Everton ahead.

A nice corner routine in the 13th minute from the visitors saw Richarlison drive a shot goalwards but Benteke blocked the shot on the line.

Everton were in control and should have gone ahead when Digne’s cross-shot broke to Seamus Coleman but somehow Guatia kept it out and then Calvert-Lewin headed wide from Bernard’s cross.

Palace were lucky to escape a red card when Milivojevic caught Bernard on the thigh with a high challenge that VAR looked at a few times before deciding it was not a red.

Palace’s best chance came when Max Meyer’s shot was deflected over the bar by Michael Keane after a quickly taken free-kick.

André Gomes limped off injured just before the break with an ankle injury following a tackle by James McArthur. He was replaced by new summer signing from Mainz, Jean-Philipe Gbamin.

The second half saw Everton’s rhythm disrupted by the absence of Gomes in their midfield. Gbamin looked well short of match fitness as he tried to adjust to the pace of the game. But Everton still carved out another chance for Sigurdsson but his flick was cleared off the line this time by Patrick Van-Aanholt.

On one occasion Gbamin’s rustiness was evident when he was caught in possession which led to Palace’s best opportunity. Palace nicked the ball from Gbamin and fed Benteke who attacked the visitor’s penalty area and laid the ball off to Andros Townsend who fed Mayer but his low shot was well saved by Jordan Pickford.

Zaha came on for Palace and instantly gave them a lift but it was the visitors who went close again when Richarlison flashed a left-foot shot just past Guatia’s post.

Silva then introduced new summer signing from Juventus, Moise Kean but before he could really get into the game Morgan Schneiderlin was dismissed for two bookable offences. The sending off halted Everton’s chance of winning the game and they had to settle for a point just as the two had done so in April.

Final Score: Crystal Palace 0-0 Everton

How They Lined Up:

Barry Cass