Everton got their Premier League campaign off to a bright start with a 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Goodison Park, as goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry punished a profligate visiting side on the opening weekend of the season.
The result was a welcome tonic for David Moyes, whose squad arrived at the fixture short of significant reinforcements, with the right-back position and centre-forward department both areas of concern heading into the campaign. Despite those gaps, Everton showed enough quality on the day to see off a Palace team that created the better early chances but could not find a way past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Pierre Sage, taking charge of Palace for the first time in the league, saw his side threaten inside the opening minutes when Eddie Nketiah teed up Jean-Philippe Mateta, who volleyed over from close range. Adam Wharton, linked with a move to Manchester City this summer despite Sage's insistence he will stay, then produced a delightful ball to send Nketiah through, only for Pickford to make a fine save that cannoned off the post. Moments later Mateta struck the same upright after another inviting delivery from Nketiah's cross, leaving Palace to rue their inability to convert dominant spells into goals.
Everton gradually grew into the contest, with new arrivals Tyrique George, Hayden Hackney and Merlin Röhl — deployed at right-back in the continued absence of a natural successor to Séamus Coleman — all making solid contributions. The breakthrough arrived shortly before half-time when Daniel Muñoz, regarded as a potential transfer target for Everton's own right-back vacancy, was dispossessed by Harrison Armstrong. The ball found its way to Dewsbury-Hall, who drove an unstoppable, angled finish beyond Dean Henderson to give the hosts a deserved lead.
Muñoz almost atoned for his error soon after, meeting a cross from Daichi Kamada but heading wide when well placed. Instead, it was Everton who doubled their advantage early in the second half. A swiftly taken free-kick from Hackney was met by Iliman Ndiaye, whose whipped cross was headed home from close range by Barry, who rose above Chris Richards and Jaydee Canvot to net his first goal of the new season.
The finish will have pleased Moyes given Barry's slow start in English football last season, when the Frenchman did not open his account until December. With uncertainty still surrounding Everton's attacking options following a campaign in which the club managed only 18 league goals between Barry and fellow forward Beto, an early strike represents a promising sign.
Palace's afternoon was compounded by the sight of defender Chadi Riad being carried off on a stretcher late on with what appeared to be a serious knee injury, adding to the frustration of a difficult debut outing for Sage. The club also faced questions over the continued absence of Ismaïla Sarr, with reports suggesting the forward had refused to train in pursuit of a move to Galatasaray, though Palace maintained he missed out through a groin issue.
Among the spectators at Goodison Park was Prime Minister Andy Burnham, a boyhood Everton supporter, who took in his first match at the ground since taking office. He was pictured celebrating Barry's goal alongside former Everton player Peter Reid, and even shared a phone call with Moyes before kick-off. "I spoke to the prime minister on the phone," Moyes said afterwards. "Andy Gray came down into the office before the game and his assistant Peter Reid phoned down."
The win gives Everton their first opening-day victory since 2021 and a platform on which Moyes hopes to build a season more consistent than last term's stumbling finish, while Sage will look to address Palace's finishing woes before their next league test.
Based on reporting from Guardian Football and Independent Football.