By Goal.com News on Monday, 05 April 2021
Category: Goal.com News

Late Batshuayi strike sees spoils shared at Everton

That's it from me here tonight. Until the next time, goodbye!

The result doesn't mean a whole lot for the table today, though Everton's top-four hopes have taken a hit. They stay eighth, four points behind Chelsea with a game in hand. Palace remain in 12th.

Batshuayi's late leveller salvages a point for Palace! Goalkeeper Guaita's heroics in the visitors' net looked to have been in vain as Rodriguez smashed home early in the first half, with Calvert-Lewin and especially Richarlison kept at bay despite having good chances in both halves. Palace clung on, though, and Batshuayi scored just two minutes after coming off the bench to rescue a point and make a point to Roy Hodgson after his comments during the international break. Everton will be wondering how they haven't won.

90' + 5' FULL-TIME: EVERTON 1-1 CRYSTAL PALACE

90' + 3' Schlupp crosses from the right of the area but it's a poor delivery, straight to Davies, who can play it out under no pressure.

90' + 2' Holgate sends a long ball from the left towards Godfrey at the far post. He looks to head it down to Sigurdsson but can't get enough of a connection on it and it's cut out.

90' + 1' Four minutes added on.

90' Batshuayi's goal came just two minutes and 16 seconds after he came off the bench.

88' You know the script by now. Calvert-Lewin finds Richarlison in the area but he scuffs his shot and gives Guaita time to get down to his right and make a good save. It was well directed towards the bottom-left corner, but didn't have any power.

83' Ooh, that's a good chance for Schlupp! Van Aanholt picks up the ball on the left and finds Zaha at the edge of the area. He plays it to the feet of Schlupp who has plenty of time to pick his spot, but drags his shot across goal and wide.

81' Guaita saves from Richarlison again! It's a great stop. Calvert-Lewin hooks in a cross from the right, finding Digne in space at the left of the area. He side-foots it back to Richarlison in the centre who doesn't do a lot wrong with his finish, bouncing an awkward half-volley into the ground and on target, but Guaita reacts brilliantly to tip it over.

77' Zaha gets into the area on the left and skips away from Godfrey, but his attempted low cross is blocked.

74' Coleman comes infield from the right and unleashes his inner Quaresma with a gratuitous outside-of-the-boot pass, looking to spin it out to Digne on the left. It's blocked at the edge of the area but almost drops to Sigurdsson, who can't quite hook his boot back to tee himself up for a shot.

73' Less than 20 minutes of the 90 to play now. Palace have been much improved since Rodriguez scored but their final ball has been lacking so far. You would think a second Everton goal now might kill it.

71' A corner on the left is taken short to Zaha and he teases in a cross towards the far post. Benteke attacks it but can't quite get a touch and it fades behind for a goal kick.

69' That's poor from Van Aanholt. Straight off the bench, Schlupp picks up the ball in the centre of the Everton half and spins, finding the left-back in acres of space to the left of the area. He hesitates long enough for a defender to get back and block his first cross, and his attempted pull-back from the rebound spins away from the area to nobody in particular.

68' Rodriguez gives Digne a ball to chase down the left channel, and the left-back harries Ward all the way to the byline to try and get to it. Ward and Kouyate have to combine to get it clear but the flag eventually goes up.

66' Ayew comes infield from the right and has a pop from range, but it's a simple enough save for Olsen down to his left. Palace have come to life in the last few minutes.

65' Zaha intercepts a pass from Davies just inside the Everton half and drives into the area, jinking away from Keane at the edge of the box to get the ball onto his left foot for a shot. Eventually, he's just forced wide enough that the best he can do is hit it straight at Olsen.

64' Not to jinx it, but the second half has been much more entertaining than the first. There should really have been more than one goal so far tonight with some of the chances that have gone begging for the home side.

62' The ball comes to Eze at the left side of the area and he whacks a swerving effort across goal, looking for the far top corner. Olsen seems to want to catch it before opting to parry and he doesn't get it away from danger, but a defender is on hand to hack it clear.

60' Rodriguez has now been involved in 12 goals in 14 home appearances for Everton in all competitions - this being his fifth goal, along with seven assists.

59' Guaita denies Calvert-Lewin again! The Palace keeper is keeping his side in it tonight. Rodriguez, Sigurdsson and Richarlison combine to find Calvert-Lewin at the edge of the area but he has to twist his body around the ball to hit it first time, and the keeper comes out to smother.

54' Rodriguez bends in a lovely corner from the right, skimming along the line of the six-yard box. Mina can only get a glancing touch as he looks to head it goalwards and it takes it away from Richarlison behind him, who looks furious to see the chance go begging.

53' Close! Digne can't quite pick out Calvert-Lewin in the area but Cahill can only clear as far as Sigurdsson at the edge of the area. He looks to pick out the bottom-left corner but Kouyate makes a great block, sliding the ball behind for a corner.

52' Benteke has played some lovely first-time flicked passes today. He combines with Eze and Van Aanholt down the left this time, and the latter wins a corner.

51' Eze goes down in the area under a challenge from Holgate. He wants a penalty and has a word with the ref after the incident, but it was a good tackle and a good decision.

50' Benteke holds the ball up at the edge of the area with Ayew and Zaha in support. He opts to find the former but the Everton back line stands firm and the attackers can't pick a way through.

48' Eze looks for a one-two with Zaha as he comes infield from the left. Zaha holds onto the ball before looking to slide the ball into the feet of Benteke in the area, but his wayward pass is cut out.

46' Rodriguez bends in a free-kick from the right touchline. It seems to move in the wind and for a second it looks like it might bend all the way in, but nobody can touch it home and Guaita manages to take the catch.

45' We're back underway.

With Mateta, Batshuayi and Townsend, the Palace bench perhaps has a few more attacking options than Everton's tonight. Everton's does contain Gbamin for the first time since August 2019, and Ancelotti said before the game that he's looking to get him on at some point.

A game that has threatened to burst into life without ever properly getting going, though Everton will feel they should be ahead. Richarlison in particular has had a few chances to break the deadlock but both he and Calvert-Lewin have been thwarted by Guaita. The home side can be satisfied with their performance so far but Palace have looked threatening when Zaha and Eze have managed to find pockets of space to run into.

45' + 3' HALF-TIME: EVERTON 0-0 CRYSTAL PALACE

45' + 1' Two minutes added on.

44' Everton are finishing the half strongly but still can't get their noses in front. Rodriguez delivers a free-kick from deep on the left and finds Richarlison eight yards out, but he heads over again. 

42' Richarlison spins nicely away from Ayew and Milivojevic at the left side of the area and lays the ball back to Rodriguez. He hammers a left-footed effort towards the bottom-right corner, but puts it just wide.

41' Everton win a free-kick just outside the area, over to the left. Richarlison is adamant he's taking it, ignoring some friendly advice from Digne, Rodriguez and Sigurdsson. He looks to curl it into the far top corner - bringing to mind that Dimitri Payet stunner against Palace a few years ago - but bends it high and wide. He probably won't take the next one.

39' Milivojevic tries to slip Benteke in behind but he has to come back to collect the ball, and he does so from an offside position.

37' A loose ball drops to Benteke in the area and he reacts quickly to shoot, but it deflects off an Everton boot and spins kindly up in the air for Olsen to catch.

36' Digne checks onto his right foot and bends an inswinging cross towards Calvert-Lewin on the penalty spot, but a Palace defender gets across to head clear.

35' Benteke lays off Van Aanholt with a lovely flicked pass at the edge of the area but the left-back can't take it cleanly as he bursts infield and the ball goes astray.

32' Davies and Van Aanholt collide just at the right corner of the Everton penalty area. The left-back released the ball and ran straight into the Everton man, who didn't really have time to get out of the way. The ball goes out for a goal kick and after a moment to catch their breath, the two players are back up and running.

29' This could be bad news for Everton. Gomes is down, and Sigurdsson is being readied on the touchline.

27' Zaha works the ball onto his left foot around 25 yards out, but drags a low shot across goal and wide to the right of goal.  

26' The game has really livened up after a slow start. Everton will be annoyed not to be ahead, after two very presentable chances for Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin.

24' Holgate floats a cross-field pass from left to right, picking out Coleman by the touchline. He loops a cross into the area and Rodriguez controls it nicely but has to rush his shot with defenders converging on him, and lifts it over the bar.

23' Richarlison should score! Gomes robs Ayew inside Palace's half and the forward has his head in his hands as he sees the ball slipped through to Richarlison, who drives into the area and looks certain to finish. He feints onto his right foot and looks to curl one but puts it straight at Guaita's chest, and he can't react quickly enough to collect the rebound and slide it home.

21' Things are happening! Coleman gets to the byline and cuts back away from Van Aanholt, giving himself a yard of space to measure a cross. He picks out Richarlison but the Brazilian mistimes his jump and can only head over from six yards out.

20' Chances! Eze gets the ball at the left corner of the penalty area and plays a neat one-two with Ayew, bursting between two defenders before seeing a low shot saved at the near post. Everton go up the other end and Calvert-Lewin is played through on goal, but Guaita comes out and makes a great save at the edge of his area.

19' Riedewald chips a pass over to Eze on the left but Coleman holds him off well and Keane steps across to take the ball.

18' Ayew looks to turn on the centre spot but he's dragged down by Gomes. These little fouls are killing any sort of rhythm in the game so far.

17' Milivojevic swings in a cross from a free-kick deep on the right. He looks for Benteke on the penalty spot but an Everton defender gets above him to head half-clear. The ball drops to Van Aanholt who swings a boot at it, but his optimistic shot floats well over the crossbar.

14' Keane fires a flat ball down the right for Coleman to chase but he can't catch up and it's behind for a goal kick.

12' Rodriguez finds Digne in space to the left of the penalty area but his cross is poor, lofted straight to the near post where Guaita takes an easy catch. This has not been a high-quality game of football so far.

11' Benteke sends Davies head over heels with a late challenge in the centre circle.

9' Ward takes his time working out the position of a free-kick deep on the right. It's one of those classic situations where the player has stolen a few yards so the referee tells him to go back - as soon as the ref turns around, Ward rolls the ball straight back to where he had put it in the first place, before overhitting his free-kick straight through to Olsen in the Everton net. Great stuff.

7' What happened there?! Gomes wins the ball from Milivojevic on the halfway line and slips it forward to Richarlison, who looks to be in on goal. Instead of shooting, he squares it to Calvert-Lewin, but his pass is wayward and he can't twist back to put it into the empty net. Eventually the flag does go up because Richarlison was well offside when Gomes played him through.

6' First chance of the match comes to Zaha after some nice play between himself and Benteke. Benteke eventually finds Zaha in some space just outside the area and he goes for goal, but Mina blocks his effort behind for a corner, which is cleared.

4' Palace have only kept one clean sheet in their 18 Premier League away games so far this season, in a goalless draw at Arsenal back in January. Only Sheffield United have a worse record, and they're bottom of the league.

3' Digne goes down after getting a hand in the face from Ward. Play carries on as referee Kevin Friend doesn't seem to spot it, but the whistle eventually goes as the Everton left-back stays down. He's fine, though.

2' It is cold and very blustery at Goodison today. Things could get interesting for the two defences, particularly at set pieces.

1' We're off!

The teams are on their way out onto the pitch and we’re almost ready for kick-off.

Everton are unbeaten in their last 12 Premier League games against Palace, winning six and drawing six. However, four of Palace's last five league wins against the Toffees have come here at Goodison Park.

Everton's last game before the international break was a 2-0 defeat to Manchester City here in the FA Cup and they make four changes from that game. Olsen, Keane, Davies and Rodriguez come in for Virginia, Godfrey, Allan and Sigurdsson. Palace, meanwhile, are unchanged from their win over West Brom, with Benteke and Zaha leading the line once again.

SUBS: Reece Hannam, Scott Dann, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Martin Kelly, Michy Batshuayi, Tyrick Mitchell, Andros Townsend, Jack Butland, Jeffrey Schlupp.

CRYSTAL PALACE (4-4-2): Vicente Guaita; Patrick van Aanholt, Gary Cahill, Cheikhou Kouyate, Joel Ward; Eberechi Eze, Jairo Riedewald, Luka Milivojevic, Jordan Ayew; Wilfried Zaha, Christian Benteke.

SUBS: Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Ben Godfrey, Harry Tyrer, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Joshua King, Kyle John, Niels Nkounkou, Joao Virginia, Nathan Broadhead.

EVERTON (3-4-1-2): Robin Olsen; Michael Keane, Yerry Mina, Mason Holgate; Lucas Digne, Andre Gomes, Tom Davies, Seamus Coleman; James Rodriguez; Richarlison, Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Carlo Ancelotti and his side are still dreaming of the Champions League as we enter the final stage of the season - they're five points off the top four with two games in hand going into this game. Roy Hodgson's Palace, meanwhile, are safely tucked away in mid-table in 12th.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of this Monday evening Premier League match. We’ll have all the action from Goodison Park as Everton look to keep up their hunt for European qualification with a home fixture against Crystal Palace.

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