Everton 2-0 Crystal Palace: Dewsbury-Hall and Barry inflict opening-day defeat on Sage

Everton defeated Crystal Palace 2-0 to ensure a losing start to Pierre Sage's time in the Premier League, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry on target. 

Dewsbury-Hall found the top-right corner with a thunderous strike shortly before half-time, with Everton punishing some wasteful finishing from their visitors after Eddie Nketiah and Jean-Philippe Mateta both hit the same post.

And Barry got the clinching goal early in the second period, with the outstanding Iliman Ndiaye giving his striker a simple headed finish with a pinpoint cross.

Saturday's game started in a wide-open fashion, though it was Palace who carved out the first two opportunities as Mateta flicked Nketiah's centre over and Daniel Munoz saw a left-footed piledriver pushed away by Jordan Pickford.

Everton's first big chance saw Ndiaye work Dean Henderson, but the Toffees were fortunate not to fall behind when Pickford brilliantly tipped Nketiah's shot onto his left-hand post, following some incisive work from Adam Wharton. 

The hosts had another lucky escape when Mateta side-footed against the same post in the 38th minute, and they took full advantage only four minutes later, with Dewsbury-Hall rifling across goal and in following some excellent out-of-possession work from Harrison Armstrong.

Everton's second goal came eight minutes into the second period as Barry nodded home after being picked out by Ndiaye, who could have put the result beyond all doubt soon afterwards, when his volley skipped off the turf and was touched over by Henderson.

The closest Palace came to a consolation goal was when substitute Jorgen Strand Larsen headed straight at Pickford in stoppage time, and a disappointing start to their season was capped by Chadi Riad being carried off on a stretcher with what appeared to be a serious knee injury.

Losing start for Sage as Moyes halts winless run

A miserable end to 2025-26 dashed Everton's hopes of European qualification and led some supporters to question David Moyes this summer, as the Toffees failed to win any of their final seven Premier League games of the campaign (D3 L4).

Everton had never gone eight league games without a victory under Moyes across both of his spells on Merseyside. That record is still intact after an enjoyable 90 minutes for the Hill Dickinson Stadium crowd, which included UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham.

Palace might count themselves unfortunate to start Sage's reign empty-handed, given they won the expected goals (xG) battle by 2.04 to 1.16, with Nketiah and Mateta being made to pay for big misses in the first half. 

Palace have now had 16 managers lead the club in the Premier League (including caretakers), but only two have won their opening game in the competition – Alan Pardew against Tottenham in January 2015 (2-1) and Oliver Glasner against Burnley in February 2024 (3-0). 

Everton's all-English midfield trio of Dewsbury-Hall, Armstrong and Hayden Hackney set the tone by working hard out of possession, and Armstrong's assist for the opening goal – which came after he dispossessed Munoz high up the field – was his first goal involvement in the Premier League, on his 17th appearance in the competition (seven starts).

Barry's clinching goal was his ninth in the Premier League, and six of those have now come at home. He will hope to take that form on the road ahead of a matchday two trip to Bournemouth, while Palace host Manchester City on Friday.