Charly Alcaraz scored a late winner on his first Everton start as they won 2-1 at Crystal Palace to continue their terrific turnaround under David Moyes.
The Deadline Day signing’s 80th-minute strike ensures Everton have, for now, moved above Moyes’ former side Manchester United after claiming 13 points from a possible 18 since the Scot was reappointed as manager
Everton showed no sign of a hangover from Wednesday’s dramatic 2-2 draw in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park as Alcaraz came in as one of two enforced changes after Iliman Ndiaye’s injury and Abdoulaye Doucoure’s sending-off against Liverpool.
Palace had pegged back Everton through Jean-Philippe Mateta, scoring his seventh goal in six games this calendar year, after Beto took advantage of a major mix-up from Tyrick Mitchell and Jefferson Lerma to give his side the lead just before half-time.
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Carlos Alcaraz puts Everton ahead at Selhurst Park on the 80th minute
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Jean-Philippe Mateta stayed onside to give Palace the equaliser against Everton
Palace had to wait for a lengthy VAR check before they could celebrate Mateta’s equaliser, with the striker just on the shoulder of the Everton defence as Marc Guehi played him in behind. Soon such checks will be a thing of the past with semi-automated offsides.
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Beto had put Everton ahead after an awful mistake from the home side
Everton were handed a clear path to goal for the opener as Lerma turned away just as Mitchell threw the ball to him. Beto expertly lifted the ball over Dean Henderson for his fourth goal in four league games after a through ball from Alcaraz.
Lerma had a first-half goal contentiously disallowed after a linesman ruled Justin Devenny’s corner had gone out of play. VAR looked and neither the officials nor Sky Sports could find conclusive evidence to ascertain whether the ball had gone out or not so the on-field decision stood.
Everton could – and probably should – have been at least a goal down in a first half in which they were uncharacteristically sloppy in defence. Ismaila Sarr struck the bar for Palace from less than six yards, while Mateta was denied one-on-one with Jordan Pickford.
Palace and Everton are now level on 30 points after 25 games after Moyes triumphed over Oliver Glasner for the first time at the fourth time of asking. Both are above Manchester United for now, but more importantly, 13 points above the relegation zone.
Player of the match: Beto
Everton striker Beto to Sky Sports:
“I’m playing with more confidence and joy. We are playing really great football and the team has confidence, we want to win every game. We don’t want to concede. Today showed we deserved to win.
“It means a lot from the fans. I just needed to keep working on myself, improving. Maybe I wasn’t playing because I was in good fitness and the confidence game. Now I have the confidence, I’m happy to hear the fans singing my name.”
Jagielka hails the ‘Moyesiah’s’ impact at Everton
Former Everton defender Phil Jagielka to Sky Sports:
“The week they’ve had, we expected the energy levels to drop. But in the second half, out of the two teams, they put more out there and probably deserved to nick it at the end.
“We asked for more creativity from Everton and with Alcaraz, scoring that goal ticks that box. He’s had a great night, two interesting games this past week and he will probably sleep well tonight.
“He’s the Moyesiah. He picked up a pretty decent state in what Sean Dyche had overseen and left. He’s sprinkled his bit of magic, especially Beto who cannot stop scoring. It’s what he does, the staff around him – Baines and Coleman are there who understand it. That’s why the results are there.”
