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3 hours ago
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David Moyes’s European dream is now hanging by a slender thread. Against a Crystal Palace side who have been distracted by their Conference League exploits, Everton were unable to take their opportunity to close the gap on their rivals as Jean-Philippe Mateta came off the bench to equalise after they had twice been ahead, through goals from James Tarkowski and Beto.
It could have been even worse for Moyes had Adam Wharton’s shot not struck the outside of a post in the 90th minute. In a frantic finish, Dean Henderson denied Iliman Ndiaye in stoppage time before Mateta missed a great chance to win it for Oliver Glasner’s side.
This result meant Everton stretched their unbeaten run against Palace to 11 matches. But they must now rely on other teams dropping points if they are to have a chance of qualifying for Europe next season after failing to win for a fourth game in a row when they have taken the lead.
“Good sides have to do the business at this time of the season. If you really want to be in it, then you’ve got to get wins,” said a disappointed Moyes. “That’s why we see the big teams learn to deal with the pressure and winning games. The facts are there to show it. But the facts would also say that we’ve probably not been able to handle bits of it. We have to try and do that better but we’ve not been in this position for a long time.”
The point ensured that Palace, whose last Premier League win against Everton came in December 2021 when Rafael Benítez was in charge of the visitors, have all but guaranteed they will be in the top flight for a 14th consecutive season. Four of Palace’s players have already played more than 4,000 minutes this season, with Maxence Lacroix starting for the 52nd time of a marathon campaign that could end with him being called up for France’s World Cup squad despite being culpable for Beto’s goal.
But in a move that suggested he will rotate more when they travel to Manchester City on Wednesday, Glasner decided to select virtually a full-strength side and was rewarded with a strong performance that could easily have ended with a victory.
“In the end it felt like Everton had played three days ago because we looked fresher,” said the Palace manager. “Everyone has the belief that we can get it done and we will need this until we play the Conference League final on 27 May.”
Everton fielded the same team from their thrilling draw against City on Monday, when they set an unwanted record of becoming the first team in the Premier League to concede stoppage-time goals in three successive matches. Moyes had lamented those missed opportunities and it didn’t take long for Everton’s players to show they were up for the challenge.
Palace’s achilles heel this season has been an inability to defend from set pieces and there was no excuse for Tarkowski being unmarked at the back post when Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s ball deflected to him. It was the 18th set-piece goal Palace have conceded in the Premier League – more than any other team.
Jordan Pickford – up against his England rival Henderson and being watched by Thomas Tuchel in the stands – pulled off an excellent save to keep out Lacroix’s shot. Ndiaye broke downfield but could not take the chance to double Everton’s lead. The Senegal forward was made to regret that when his compatriot Ismaïla Sarr slammed home his 20th goal of a brilliant season after his initial shot was blocked by Michael Keane.
A few words were exchanged between the benches after Tarkowski went unpunished for taking out Sarr off the ball before James Garner escaped what looked like a clear push on Jørgen Strand Larsen inside the area, even if Glasner felt it did not warrant a penalty.
There was a hint of fortune about the way Everton regained their lead. Tarkowski only intended to clear the ball from his own half but it looped perfectly into the path of Beto, who was able to turn inside Lacroix before beating Henderson.
The introduction of Mateta from the bench with 25 minutes to play gave Palace more impetus as they strived for an equaliser. Sarr was inches away from diverting Wharton’s floated ball past Pickford for his second of the afternoon before Tyrick Mitchell’s clever cross teed up the France striker to leave Everton ruing their mistakes.
