The couple’s history and home turf tip the scales: prediction for Everton vs Crystal Palace
The opening round clash in the English Premier League between Everton and Crystal Palace is set for August 22, 2026, at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool. David Moyes’ side heads into the season after a patchy preseason, while the Londoners embark on a new era under Pierre Sage.
Everton: an ambiguous preseason, but home advantage counts
Everton wrapped up their final friendly with a 1-1 draw against Lille, letting the win slip away in injury time. Before that, Moyes’ men beat Newcastle 3-1 and Hamburg 2-1, but suffered defeats to Stuttgart and Stoke, so it’s too early to talk about any real consistency.
The main personnel headache is in midfield: Christian Nørgaard, James Garner, and Tim Iroegbunam are all unavailable. On the bright side, Hayden Hackney and Brennan Johnson joined in the summer, and Jarrad Branthwaite came through preseason unscathed and is ready to start.
Crystal Palace: new manager still building his blueprint
Palace ended their preparations with a heavy 0-3 defeat to Freiburg, having lost by the same scoreline to Lens earlier. There were positives - wins over Fulham and Al-Ula - but the team still looks unstable.
Pierre Sage is only beginning to reshape the side after Oliver Glasner’s departure. There are also selection concerns: Dean Henderson picked up an ankle injury, and Daniel Muñoz barely featured in preseason after the World Cup.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Everton are unbeaten against Crystal Palace in their last 11 matches across all competitions.
- Both teams have scored in each of their last five meetings.
- At least three goals have been scored in four of their last six encounters in Liverpool.
Hosts can capitalize on opponent’s transition: Everton vs Crystal Palace prediction
Everton are far from perfect, but Moyes’ team boasts a formidable home record against this opponent. Plus, the hosts know how to make the most of fast transitions and set pieces.
Palace are still adjusting to their new manager’s demands, and preseason exposed their vulnerability when losing shape. That’s why the slight edge should go to the - even if keeping a clean sheet could prove tricky.
