Everton 3-0 Crystal Palace: Toffees snap three-match losing streak in style
By Sean Walsh
Everton picked up their first win at Goodison Park since September 18 after seeing off Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon.
Doubts had began to creep in again regarding the Toffees' hopes of Premier League survival following three successive defeats with a whimper, but Frank Lampard's men responded brilliantly against the Eagles.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored his first goal of an injury-hit season after 11 minutes, winning possession off of Luka Milivojevic and passing to Alex Iwobi. The Nigerian midfielder then picked out the striker in the box, sliding the ball between Marc Guehi's legs (and shouldering him to the ground for good measure) before firing past Vicente Guaita.
Midway through the first half, Guaita managed to produce a stunning save to keep Anthony Gordon out, tipping his left-footed strike over the bar.
Palace almost immediately went down the other end and created the first big chance of their own, with Ebere Eze teeing up Wilfried Zaha on the edge of the box, but the Ivorian's strike was tame.
The visitors twice went close to drawing level after the break when Odsonne Edouard and Michael Olise were kept out by blocks from Vitaliy Mykolenko and Conor Coady respectively.
But Everton doubled their advantage just after the hour mark when Gordon was on hand to poke home after Guaita pushed away Mykolenko's initial effort. The offside flag had initially been raised but the goal was allowed to stand after a VAR check.
Palace's misery was compounded five minutes from time when Dwight McNeil added Everton's third, working his way infield from the left and finding Iwobi, whose deft back-heel deceived Guaita and allowed the former Burnley winger to tap into an empty net.
