Post-Hodgson era begins with a draw for Palace

On a day in which Crystal Palace officially replaced Roy Hodgson with Oliver Glasner, with the Austrian taking charge from tomorrow, Everton fought back to share a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park in a result that benefits neither side too greatly.

LINEUPS

EVE XI: Pickford; Godfrey, Tarkowski*, Branthwaite, Young, Garner, Gueye, Doucoure, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin

EVE SUBS: Lonergan, Virginia, Keane, Patterson, Onana, Harrison, Dobbin, Chermiti, Beto

PAL XI: Johnstone; Munoz, Ward, Andersen, Richards, Mitchell; Wharton, Lerma; Ayew, Edouard, Mateta

PAL SUBS: Henderson, Tomkins, Clyne, Riedewald, Ozoh, Ahamada, Raymond, Umeh, Franca

Action: As expected based on the form of the two teams and their two meetings in the FA Cup last month, which produced just one goal, the first-half of this one was a predictably difficult watch for the neutral.

Abdoulaye Doucoure had a hopeful effort from just outside of the box and Jean-Philippe Mateta did the same down at the other end but neither were too close to opening the scoring in the first-half.

That wayward shotting being the best opportunities in the match continued on in the second-half when James Garner bent over with an opening on the edge of the box.

Crystal Palace did begin to turn the screw ever so slightly and slowly when Jean-Philippe Mateta forced Jordan Pickford into his first real bit of action after that.

Then, out of pretty much nothing, Palace had the first goal of the post-Roy Hodgson era with a magnificent strike from Ghana international forward, Jordan Ayew.

"A goal out of nowhere" 😲

What a strike, Ayew!! 👏 pic.twitter.com/SWD64Mtmw4

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 19, 2024

Sam Johnstone’s goal-kick found the head of Odsonne Edouard, who flicked on for Mateta. He managed to hold the ball well and lay off Ayew, who struck across goal from around 25 yards out into the bottom corner.

Everton pushed for the rest of the second-half with a limited Crystal Palace side seemingly content with trying to defend a one-goal lead at Goodison Park.

Everton’s slight pressure did eventually tell, though, when Amadou Onana rose highest to head home Dwight McNeil’s in-swinging corner-kick late on for The Toffees. 

The big picture: Everton and Crystal Palace remain firmly in the relegation battle with Sean Dyche’s Liverpudlians sitting outside of the bottom three on goal difference ahead of a trip down to face Brighton on Saturday, whilst Palace will begin life under Oliver Glasner against relegation-bound Burnley at Selhurst Park. 

Man of the match: Adam Wharton. Once again, after an impressive performance against Chelsea last weekend, the former Blackburn man showed why Palace had forked out £18.5 million on him in January with poise and composure beyond his years in a hugely important match.

EVENTS

Kick-off

Half-time

’66 | GOAL: Ayew (0-1)

’83 | GOAL: Onana (1-1)

Full-time