Everton vs Crystal Palace preview, predictions & confirmed line-ups
Everton will look to build upon their 3-2 comeback victory over Watford when they host Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Only Liverpool have picked up more Premier League points than the Toffees since Carlo Ancelotti was appointed as manager and they now sit ninth in the table, just four points behind fifth-placed Tottenham.
After a solid start to the season, Crystal Palace are faltering and haven’t won in any competition since Boxing Day — a run which has seen them slide to 14th in the Premier League table.
Will Everton continue their resurgence under “Carletto” or will the Eagles soar clear of the relegation scrap? Read on for our preview, predictions, team news and TV coverage information.
When is Everton vs Crystal Palace and where can I watch live?
Competition: Premier League
Venue: Goodison Park
Date: Saturday, 8 February 2020
Kick-off: 12:30 PM (UK time)
TV coverage (UK): BT Sport 1, BT Sport 1 HD and online via the BT Sport app.
Last five meetings: Everton vs Crystal Palace
10 Aug 2019: Crystal Palace 0-0 Everton (Premier League)
27 Apr 2019: Crystal Palace 0-0 Everton (Premier League)
21 Oct 2018: Everton 2-0 Crystal Palace (Premier League)
10 Feb 2018: Everton 3-1 Crystal Palace (Premier League)
18 Nov 2017: Crystal Palace 2-2 Everton (Premier League)
Aggregate Score: Everton (DDWWD) 7-3 Crystal Palace (DDLLD)
Ones to watch
Everton: Mason Holgate
Having spent the second half of last season on loan at West Brom and struggling to get game time under Marco Silva this time around, Mason Holgate has totally reinvented himself under Ancelotti.
The 23-year-old has shown all the defensive solidity and composure in possession which made him such a prospect during his early years and, thus far, appears to have eradicated those silly mistakes which hampered his development.
Michael Keane will seriously struggle to regain his place in the starting XI between now and the end of the season, further hampering his faint Euro 2020 hopes.
Key stat: No Everton player has made more interceptions (12) or completed more passes (353) in the Premier League under Ancelotti than Holgate.
Crystal Palace: Wilfried Zaha
If Palace are to have any joy at Goodison Park, it’ll likely be on the break or via a set-piece.
Wilfried Zaha hasn’t been prolific in front of goal this season but he remains Hodgson’s most potent attacking threat with his mesmeric dribbling skills and ability to win fouls in key areas.
Djibril Sidibe and Lucas Digne love to get forward, so expect Zaha to try and exploit the space the France internationals leave.
Key stat: Only Adama Traore (133) has completed more dribbles than Zaha (120) in the Premier League this season.
Confirmed Everton line-up:
📣 TEAM NEWS! 📣
4️⃣ changes
✅ Coleman, Keane, Schneiderlin & Bernard return#EVECRY pic.twitter.com/2dhcgZIPwv— Everton (@Everton) February 8, 2020
4-4-2: Pickford; Coleman, Mina, Holgate, Digne; Walcott, Schneiderlin, Sigurdsson, Bernard; Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin.
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Confirmed Crystal Palace line-up:
COME ON YOU PALACE #CPFC | #EVECRY
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) February 8, 2020
4-5-1: Guaita; Ward, Tomkins, Cahill, Van Aanholt; Ayew, McCarthy, Milivojevic, McArthur, Zaha; Benteke
Squawka prediction
Everton are second in the form table since Ancelotti’s appointment and their comeback win over Watford finally showed fans there is some backbone to this side. The likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison are firing up top, while Mason Holgate looks like a defender transformed at the other end.
Crystal Palace are without a win since Boxing Day and although they never make it easy for Everton, they’re unlikely to find much joy at Goodison Park. Hodgson will be looking nervously over his shoulder at the bottom three after this one.
