Premier League strugglers Everton and Crystal Palace could not be separated as they played out a nervy 1-1 draw in front of newly-appointed Eagles boss Oliver Glasner on Monday.
Glasner watched on from the stands as Paddy McCarthy and Ray Lewington took Palace to Goodison Park for a huge six-pointer just hours after Roy Hodgson stepped down.
It looked like the post-Hodgson era would begin with three points when Jordan Ayew fired in a spectacular 25-yard opener after 66 minutes, but Amadou Onana came off the bench to salvage a point for Everton, heading Dwight McNeil’s corner home six minutes from time.
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The result lifts Sean Dyche’s men out of the bottom three due to their goal difference advantage over Luton Town, while Palace remain five points better off in 15th.
Everton will hope to see their position further boosted in the coming days, with the club preparing to discover the outcome of their appeal against a 10-point deduction for breaching the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability Rules.
FT. It ends all square at Goodison. pic.twitter.com/NICxUcK4yM
— Everton (@Everton) February 19, 2024
Chances were at a premium in a low-key opening, with the first clear opportunity going Everton’s way after 23 minutes. Dominic Calvert-Lewin should have ended his 13-game Premier League goal drought when he met McNeil’s pinpoint cross, but the striker planted his header wide.
Palace began to force the issue as half-time approached, but two big chances for an opener went begging. First, Jefferson Lerma failed to keep his finish down after being picked out by right wing-back Daniel Munoz, then Jean-Philippe Mateta saw his header hacked off the line by Ashley Young.
The Eagles also generated the first opportunity of the second half, but they were perhaps unfortunate to see it fall to Tyrick Mitchell as his dinked finish was smothered by Jordan Pickford 10 minutes after the restart.
Everton failed to record a shot on target until the 64th minute as the home fans grew restless, but when they did, they went mightily close twice in a matter of seconds.
James Tarkowski saw a bullet header from James Garner’s corner beaten away by Sam Johnstone, who then got up to push Abdoulaye Doucoure’s weak follow-up off the line.
The Toffees were made to pay for those misses within three minutes, with Ayew taking in Mateta’s lay-off before firing a rasping effort across Pickford and in from 25 yards out.
Four of @CPFC‘s last five Premier League goals have come from outside the box ????
Jordan Ayew’s strike is the latest on that list ????#EVECRY pic.twitter.com/2nJjJDVeGm
— Premier League (@premierleague) February 19, 2024
Calvert-Lewin nodded another McNeil cross just wide as Everton threw men forward, and their all-important leveller came from a familiar route as McNeil’s corner was headed in by Onana at close range.
The momentum was suddenly with Everton as they pinned Palace back and fired cross after cross into the area, but Tarkowski and Beto both send headers off-target as they failed to find a winner.
Amadou Onana beats Sam Johnstone to the ball and equalises for @Everton!
Could the home side push on for a winner? ⌛️#EVECRY pic.twitter.com/ctoMAwjtpX
— Premier League (@premierleague) February 19, 2024
