Crystal Palace vs Everton. Premier League.
Selhurst ParkAttendance25,202.
Match report and highlights as Everton and Crystal Palace play out a goalless draw at Selhurst Park; Sean Dyche's side had Mason Holgate sent off in the closing stages but held on; point not enough to prevent them from dropping to 18th
Sunday 23 April 2023 12:42, UK
Everton held on for a goalless draw against Crystal Palace despite a late red card to Mason Holgate but still slipped into the relegation zone due to Leicester's win over Wolves.
Right-back Holgate was shown the second of two yellow cards for fouls on Jordan Ayew in the 80th minute, but the hosts, seeking a fourth straight win under Roy Hodgson following his reappointment, were unable to capitalise on the man advantage.
Eberechi Eze went closest to breaking the deadlock for Palace, his low shot forcing a fine save from Jordan Pickford, but Sean Dyche's side, in 17th place before the game, defended resolutely, even as the pressure ramped up late on.
They could have gone in front themselves earlier in the game, with Alex Iwobi denied when Sam Johnstone parried his long-range volley, and the returning Dominic Calvert-Lewin, playing in front of the watching Gareth Southgate, firing narrowly wide.
Everton emerge from the game grateful for a point having lost their last two, but Leicester's come-from-behind win over Wolves means they slip to 18th, below the Foxes on goal difference. Palace remain 12th having already eased their own relegation fears.
Asked about slipping into the relegation zone afterwards, Dyche said: "It's just the reality of what we've got here.
"That's the league table. I don't really bother with it until the end. I've been doing this since I was 16. The most important table is the one at the end of the season. Nothing means anything apart from that one.
"My focus today [Saturday] is on that. The bit in between is the performance levels, the fitness levels of the players, the organisation, the strategy, the process we go through to make sure the table looks right for us."
Crystal Palace were seeking to edge closer to the hallowed 40-point mark but Everton, in a perilous position further down the table, did not make it easy for them, showing resilience from the outset.
Dyche's players defended assuredly, even without their first-choice midfield pairing of Abdoulaye Doucoure and Amadou Onana, and limited the hosts to half-chances in an even first half.
At the other end, the returning Calvert-Lewin, making his first start since early February following a spell on the sidelines, provided an invaluable outlet, heading an early chance too close to Johnstone and helping bring others into play.
Everton's best chance came from Iwobi, though, the former Arsenal midfielder's stinging volley from outside the box forcing an athletic save from a full-stretch Johnstone.
Michael Olise caused problems for the visitors with a couple of wicked deliveries, while Ayew got into some dangerous positions on the opposite side, but Palace were unable to make it count, lacking the cutting edge demonstrated in their previous games.
They continued to search for an opener after the break and thought they had it when Eze lifted a delicate finish over Pickford following a ball over the top, but it was correctly ruled out for offside.
Shortly after that disallowed goal, Calvert-Lewin almost scored in fine style at the other end, spinning on the ball following Iwobi's through-ball and poking a low finish narrowly wide, passing up the opportunity to mark his return with a winner in front of Southgate.
Pickford's save from Eze came not long after that, the goalkeeper getting down well to prevent the Palace midfielder's curling shot from finding the far corner, and Everton soon found themselves down to 10 players.
Ayew showed excellent anticipation to intercept Pickford's diagonal pass, and, having already drawn a foul which earned Holgate a booking in the first half, his driving run forward prompted another from the right-back, who clumsily hauled him down.
Palace subjected Everton to heavy pressure in the closing stages, but the visitors continued to show grit and determination, ensuring the hosts had few clear chances and claiming a point they will hope proves valuable despite slipping to 18th.
Everton boss Sean Dyche said of his side's league position: "It's just the reality of what we've got here.
"That's the league table. I don't really bother with it until the end. I've been doing this since I was 16. The most important table is the one at the end of the season. Nothing means anything apart from that one.
"My focus today [Saturday] is on that. The bit in between is the performance levels, the fitness levels of the players, the organisation, the strategy, the process we go through to make sure the table looks right for us."
On his side's performance, he added: "You go down to 10 and it's not easy here anyway. They had won three in a row but generally here is a tough place to come and they are an in-form side.
"They had been scoring goals freely over the last three games. So, to keep them to minimal chances is pleasing. They had one chance from distance where Jordan (Pickford) makes a really good save but other than that we kept that side of it pretty clean, defending well.
"The 'keeper and the two centre-halves played well, I thought, and the commitment to it at the end was very good because you go down to 10 it's not easy."
On Dominic Calvert-Lewin's return, he said: "Really pleased. He played more than I thought [he would]. You had that weird feeling in the game that something might drop here, so we left him on and took a little bit of a risk and reward with him. He did say he was fine.
"I thought he worked very hard. He had a couple of chances and just looked sharp generally and that will get better. His fitness isn't turn Premier League fitness but his sharpness will continue to improve."
For Everton, this was ultimately about holding on for a point rather than trying to take all three, but Calvert-Lewin's return is timely as the relegation run-in approaches.
The striker, absent since the 1-0 win over Arsenal in February due to injury, was thrust back into the team at Selhurst Park and, in front of the watching Southgate, showed flashes of why he is so important to his club and why he might yet have a role with England too.
His physicality and aerial prowess unsettled Palace from the start, with Dyche's side sending the ball long to him at every opportunity. Early on, there was a headed opportunity saved by Sam Johnstone. Later, he would elegantly spin away from two Palace defenders before firing agonisingly wide of the post.
He looked sharp despite his time on the sidelines, playing right until stoppage time, when he was replaced by Neal Maupay, and at times troubling Palace with his pace as well as his strength.
He pulled to the flanks to meet aerial balls, dragging Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen out of position and creating space for his team-mates centrally, and while his role was reduced to that of a bystander following Mason Holgate's red card, he had already shown enough by that point to suggest his presence could lift Everton in the crucial weeks ahead.
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson said: "It was hard work. That's what happens when you play against an Everton team as organised as they are, with the type of players they have, and with Dominic Calvert-Lewin coming back. He gives them another string to their bow up front.
"As far as I'm concerned, I thought we were good value for a point and I think the way the game panned out, a point is an acceptable reward for our efforts.
"I was pleased with the way we penned them in in the last 10 or 15 minutes, a few balls bobbling around in their six-yard box.
"It won't go down as one of the best Premier League matches ever played, but in a way it was because it's 10 points from four games. That's a lot of points to get from four games."
Crystal Palace visit Wolves at Molineux on Tuesday night at 7.30pm, while Everton host Newcastle in the Premier League on Thursday at Goodison Park at 7.45pm.
April 25: Wolves (A) - Premier League, kick-off 7.30pm
April 29: West Ham (H) - Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm
May 6: Tottenham (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 13: Bournemouth (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Fulham (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Nottingham Forest (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
April 27: Newcastle (H) - Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm
May 1: Leicester (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
May 8: Brighton (A) - Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm
May 13: Man City (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Wolves (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Bournemouth (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
