Everton vs Crystal Palace Preview – Prediction, team news, line-ups | OneFootball

Relegation-threatened Everton will encounter bottom-half Crystal Palace in a season-defining Premier League fixture at Goodison Park on Thursday.

Frank Lampard’s men picked up two red cards in a dismal 3-2 home defeat to fellow relegation strugglers Burnley last time out, ending a run of three league matches without losing (W2, D1).

Coming into the penultimate round of games, the Toffees hold a two-point lead on 18th-placed Burnley and getting a result in front of the home crowd against Palace will be of the essence.

Anything other than a victory over Patrick Vieira’s side would extend Everton’s drama into the final weekend, where they will meet Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

With Lampard hoping to put his team’s relegation fears to bed already in midweek, Richarlison and co will be out to avenge an underwhelming 3-1 defeat in the reverse fixture at Selhurst Park.

However, Palace head into Thursday’s match-up in high spirits, looking to make history in Vieira’s maiden season in charge.

The Eagles have amassed 45 Premier League points so far this season and are only four shy of their joint-record 1992/93 and 2018/19 Premier League campaigns, with two games left.

So even though they have nothing but pride left to play for, Palace could prove a massive roadblock in Everton’s bid to secure another top-flight season.

Everton vs Palace, along with the two remaining midweek Premier League fixtures, are available to watch online via Premier League live streams.

Match Preview

Everton

Playing on Thursday may boost Everton’s hopes of staying afloat, as they have gone unbeaten in their last seven Premier League outings on this day (W3, D4).

But the Toffees have to step up their defensive performances to extend their impressive midweek run after conceding the club’s second-high 59 goals this Premier League season.

Lampard’s men are four goals short of equalling the club’s unwanted record, and signs are ominous, as they have conceded 3+ goals in both competitive meetings with Palace this term.

Crystal Palace

In addition to the abovementioned victory in the reverse fixture, Palace battered Everton in the FA Cup quarter-finals, beating Lampard’s lads 4-1 in March.

So the Eagles will relish their chances of completing a first-ever league double over the Toffees in the 22nd campaign in which they have met.

Vieira’s side must have turned on a confident mood after fighting back to hold Aston Villa to a 1-1 draw at the weekend to their unbeaten Premier League streak to four matches (W2, D2).

Team News

According to the Evening Standard, Everton will welcome Michael Keane and Ben Godfrey back to the fold for the midweek showdown.

However, Lampard will be without the injured Yerry Mina and Nathan Patterson, while Jarrad Branthwaite and Salomon Rondon are unavailable due to suspension.

Fabian Delph and Andros Townsend remain long-term absentees.

As for Palace, James Tomkins, James MacArthur, Michael Olise and Nathan Ferguson are all sidelined with physical problems.

Everton Potential Starting XI

(4-3-3): Jordan Pickford; Seamus Coleman, Mason Holgate, Michael Keane; Alex Iwobi, Allan, Doucoure, Vitaliy Mykolenko; Anthony Gordon, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison.

Crystal Palace Potential Starting XI

(5-3-2): Vicente Guaita; Nathaniel Clyne, Joachim Andersen, Cheikhou Kouyate, Marc Guehi, Tyrick Mitchell; Conor Gallagher, Luka Milivojevic, Jeffrey Schlupp; Wilfried Zaha, Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Everton vs Crystal Palace Prediction

Though Palace have momentum on their side, this is a potentially ‘make or break’ fixture for Everton and we back the Merseyside strugglers to prove their top-flight credentials.

However, any potential victory for the Toffees would likely come by the tiniest of margins, as their last three Premier League triumphs at Goodison have all yielded the same 1-0 scoreline.

Everton 1-0 Crystal Palace