Everton opened their Premier League campaign with a commanding 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry on the scoresheet to hand the Toffees their first opening-weekend win in five years.
Manager David Moyes delivered a disciplined performance, ruthlessly capitalising on the visitors' wastefulness in front of goal. Crystal Palace, now guided by new head coach Pierre Sage, had their moments in the first half — but their failure to convert cost them dearly.
Armstrong and Hackney set the tone
One of the day's more intriguing subplots was Moyes's decision to deploy 19-year-old Harrison Armstrong in midfield alongside summer signing Hayden Hackney. Both teenagers rose to the occasion, with Armstrong's pressing directly leading to the opener and Hackney's composure crafting the second.
Just before the interval, Armstrong forced a turnover deep in Palace territory. Dewsbury-Hall capitalised immediately, driving inside Chris Richards before slotting into the far corner to give Everton the lead.
Moments after the restart, Hackney showed sharp instincts from a free-kick, releasing Iliman Ndiaye down the flank. Ndiaye's cross was perfectly weighted, and Barry arrived to finish with confidence — a goal that effectively ended the contest.
Palace pay for profligacy
Crystal Palace had looked lively early on, but their inability to take their chances proved fatal. Jean-Philippe Mateta squandered a clear opening while the scores were level, and Eddie Nketiah — the former Arsenal forward — wasted another opportunity, though he did force a world-class stop from Jordan Pickford with one effort.
For Sage, it was a sobering debut in charge at Selhurst Park's travelling side. The Frenchman, tasked with reviving a Palace outfit that struggled for goals last season, will know his attackers must sharpen their edge if they are to compete at the top half of the table.
Everton, by contrast, looked every bit the organised, hard-to-beat side Moyes has been building. Soccer Saturday pundit Tim Sherwood summed it up neatly:
