Everton vs Crystal Palace

Everton made hard work of it against Palace at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, but ultimately got the job done with a 2-0 win that keeps them in the hunt. The hosts dominated the opening period and went in at the break with their noses in front, though Palace showed real bite after the interval and made life difficult. Everton had 16 attempts on goal across the ninety minutes and managed to keep their visitors at arm's length, though the numbers suggest this was closer than the scoreline implies—Palace had 11 shots of their own and forced five on target. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall was the standout performer for Everton, pulling the strings in midfield and deservedly claiming man of the match honors. The hosts also had the better of the set-piece opportunities, earning four corners to Palace's none, which proved crucial in their ability to see the game out. It wasn't pretty, and it wasn't comfortable, but three points on the board is what counts at this stage of the season.

Everton 2-0 Crystal Palace was the final score at Hill Dickinson Stadium, in a game where Everton did enough across the ninety minutes to deserve the three points. Everton also had the better share of the ball, holding 42% possession, which usually goes hand in hand with the extra control a winning side tends to show. The shot count told a similar story, with 16 attempts from Everton against 11 from Crystal Palace over the course of the game. It was not always comfortable for Everton, and Crystal Palace pushed for a way back into the game, but the result stood. Games like this can carry real weight later in the season, so this is a scoreline worth remembering. Below is a closer look at how the match broke down, statistically.