Everton kicked off the new Premier League season with a convincing 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace, thanks to well‑crafted strikes from Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall and Thierno Barry. The Toffees, under the stewardship of David Moyne, imposed their will on a Palace side that struggled to convert chances, delivering their first opening‑weekend win in five years.
From the first whistle, Everton displayed a level of discipline and tactical awareness that reflected the growing maturity of Moyne's side. The French manager Pierre Sage, new to the role at Selhurst Park, watched his visitors seize control after a series of missed opportunities from the home team.
Everton struck just before the break and again early in the second half, bookending a half‑time that saw the visitors lead 1‑0. A key storyline was the emergence of 19‑year‑old midfielder Harrison Armstrong, who was handed a central role alongside recent acquisition Hayden Hackney.
Armstrong was instrumental in the build‑up to the opening goal, while Hackney supplied the decisive pass for the second. Their energy and willingness to press high forced Palace into errors, allowing the Toffees to dominate possession in the final third. The first goal came as a result of Armstrong’s tenacious pressing, which saw him win the ball back and feed it to Dewsbury‑Hall. The young winger darted inside defender Chris Richards, cut inside and unleashed a low‑driven shot that curled into the far corner just before the interval.
The strike was a testament to Everton’s quick transition play and the confidence of a player who has been given a platform to shine. The second half opened with a free‑kick situation that Hackney took quickly. Spotting Iliman Ndiaye making a run into space, Hackney delivered a precise, cutting cross.
Barry rose above the Palace defence, met the ball with a powerful header and directed it past goalkeeper Dean Henderson, restoring Everton’s two‑goal cushion. Tim Sherwood, commenting on Soccer Saturday, praised the professionalism of Everton’s performance, singling out the contributions of Armstrong and Hackney.
"Everton did a professional job. Armstrong and Hackney were very good," he said, highlighting the impact of the youngsters on such a big stage. Palace, on the other hand, faded after a promising start.
Their inability to finish was evident, with Jean‑Philippe Mateta squandering a clear chance when the score was still level. Earlier, Eddie Nketiah had struck the post with a curling effort that was spectacularly saved by Jordan Pickford.
The visitors’ expected‑goals figure of 2.04 marked the highest xG in a Premier League match without a goal since December 2018, underscoring how unlucky they were. The match also featured several noteworthy moments: Pickford produced a save‑of‑the‑season contender to deny Nketiah; Nketiah’s low cross found Mateta, only for the striker to smash the ball against the post; Dewsbury‑Hall’s angled finish beat Henderson; Barry’s header from Ndiaye’s cross proved decisive; and Chadi Riad suffered a worrying knee injury that required him to be stretchered off in the 68th minute. Moyne reflected on the game, noting that the match could have swung the other way if not for Pickford’s brilliance and the early goal. "Both teams had periods in the game.
We could easily have been a couple of goals down. It was a world‑class save from Pickford. It could have gone the other way.
Once we got the first goal, it settled us. That mattered.
We had big moments, Kiernan's goal was important. We managed the game well after that and contained Palace really well," he said.
He also praised the midfield partnership, saying, "They've done great, I'm really pleased. Harrison is earning his place in the team; he’s got an opportunity here that he might not have gotten elsewhere. He's shown a lot of good things.
With Hayden, sometimes boys from the Championship need time, but he's done well. I have to give him praise for how quickly he's picked things up." Palace manager Pierre Sage was more measured, acknowledging the first‑half performance but admitting the second half lacked urgency. "The first half we played as we decided, but in the second half we let the opponent score the second goal.
When we had the ball, we didn't play with speed. When you don't play quick, the opponent is comfortable. We didn't create much in the second half. We have to be quicker in our play to be more assertive and take decisions quickly.
We don't deserve to win this game, but we deserved to win the first half. We missed something today. It's about us, we have to take the lesson and be better for the next game," he explained.
Overall, the result gave Everton a morale‑boosting start to their campaign, showcasing the potential of their young talent and the tactical acumen of Moyne. For Palace, the defeat highlighted the need to improve finishing and tempo, lessons that will be crucial as they look to climb the table in the weeks ahead.