Everton began the 2026/27 Premier League campaign with an impressive 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, giving David Moyes’ side a winning start to the new season.
The Toffees were not at their best throughout the contest, with Palace enjoying more possession and creating several promising opportunities, but Everton demonstrated the quality that matters most in the Premier League: taking their chances and defending their advantage. The victory was also Everton’s first opening-day league win since 2021.
Crystal Palace, under new manager Pierre Sage, started confidently and looked capable of troubling the home side. The visitors moved the ball well and created some of the better chances during the opening period. Eddie Nketiah and Jean-Philippe Mateta both came close, with each hitting the woodwork as Palace threatened to take control.
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford also had to remain alert as Palace looked for an opening. Despite having less of the ball, however, Everton remained dangerous whenever they moved forward, particularly through the pace and movement of their attacking players.
The game appeared to be heading into half-time without a goal until Everton produced the moment of quality they needed.
In the 42nd minute, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall broke the deadlock with an excellent angled drive. The midfielder created the opportunity and finished confidently to send Everton into the interval with a crucial 1-0 advantage. His goal was particularly important because Palace had created enough opportunities to feel they deserved something from the first half.
After the restart, Everton quickly showed that they had no intention of allowing Palace back into the game.
The Toffees doubled their advantage in the 53rd minute, with Thierno Barry finding the net from close range. The striker converted after Iliman Ndiaye delivered the cross, giving Everton a 2-0 lead and leaving Palace with a difficult task.
The second goal changed the rhythm of the match. Palace were forced to commit more players forward in search of a response, but Everton’s defensive organisation made it difficult for the visitors to find a way through.
The numbers showed how competitive the game had been despite the final score. Palace finished with 57 per cent possession, compared with Everton’s 43 per cent, while Everton recorded five shots on target to Palace’s four. The home side also won four corners, with Palace failing to win one.
For Everton, the performance was particularly encouraging given the number of young and new players involved. Hayden Hackney, Tyrique George and Merlin Röhl all caught the eye, while Harrison Armstrong was also involved in Moyes’ starting XI. The manager’s decision to trust a youthful side was rewarded with three valuable points.
The victory also underlined Everton’s defensive resilience. James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite helped keep Palace’s attacking players under control after the visitors were forced to chase the game, while Pickford provided his usual reliability behind them.
Palace, meanwhile, will look back at the match with frustration. Their ability to create chances, particularly before the break, offered encouragement, but their failure to convert those opportunities ultimately proved decisive. The visitors also suffered a worrying setback when defender Chadi Riad was forced off on a stretcher after appearing to suffer a knee injury.
For Moyes, the result provides an ideal foundation for Everton’s new campaign. The Toffees showed that they can win even when they do not dominate possession, combining clinical finishing with disciplined defending.
Palace will need to improve their efficiency in front of goal, but Sage can take some positives from a performance in which his team created several openings against a well-organised Everton defence.
Ultimately, Dewsbury-Hall’s 42nd-minute strike and Barry’s 53rd-minute finish were enough to settle the contest. Everton leave their new home with three points, a clean sheet and plenty of early encouragement as they look to build momentum in the 2026/27 Premier League season.
Match Details: Everton 2-0 Crystal Palace | Premier League 2026/27 | Hill Dickinson Stadium | Goals: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall 42′, Thierno Barry 53′.
