Everton: Mixed Preseason Results but Home Comforts Could Matter

Everton head into the season opener after drawing 1-1 with Lille in their final warm-up, conceding a late equaliser in stoppage time. Before that, David Moyes’ side recorded wins over Newcastle and Hamburg, while defeats to Stuttgart and Stoke highlighted their inconsistency during the summer.

The Toffees also have some concerns in midfield, with Christian Nørgaard, James Garner, and Tim Iroegbunam unavailable. However, summer arrivals Hayden Hackney and Brennan Johnson add fresh options, while Jarrad Branthwaite completed preseason without major problems and is expected to feature from the start.

Crystal Palace: Sage Still Searching for the Right Formula

Crystal Palace ended their preseason on a disappointing note, suffering consecutive 0-3 defeats to Freiburg and Lens. Earlier victories over Fulham and Al-Ula offered some encouragement, but the Eagles still appear to be finding their rhythm.

New head coach Pierre Sage is only beginning to implement his ideas following Oliver Glasner’s departure. Palace also face some selection issues, with goalkeeper Dean Henderson dealing with an ankle problem and Daniel Muñoz seeing limited preseason action after returning from the World Cup.

Match Facts and Head-to-Head

Everton have avoided defeat in their last 11 meetings with Crystal Palace across all competitions.

Both sides have scored in each of their last five encounters.

Four of their last six meetings in Liverpool have produced at least three goals.