Everton v Crystal Palace line-ups
Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Mina, Digne, Walcott, Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin, Bernard, Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison.
Subs: Holgate, Baines, Iwobi, Sidibe, Stekelenburg, Davies, Kean.
Crystal Palace: Guaita, Ward, Tomkins, Cahill, van Aanholt, Ayew, McCarthy, Milivojevic, McArthur, Zaha, Benteke.
Subs: Dann, Meyer, Kouyate, Townsend, Hennessey, Mitchell, Riedewald.
Referee: David Coote (Nottinghamshire)
Early team news …
Everton will be without Fabian Delph, who is serving a one-match suspension and will sit this game out on the Naughty Step following his red card against Watford last weekend. Andre Gomes and Jan-Philippe Gbamin are long term absentees, although Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that Gomes is nearing a surprisingly early return from the horrific ankle injury he suffered during Everton’s draw with Spurs in November. The midfielder might be fit enough to make Everton’s squad for their match against Arsenal on 23 February.
On loan at Palace from Everton, the Turkish striker Cenk Tosun is ineligible for this game against his parent club, but would have missed out anyway due to a hamstring problem. Centre-back Mamadou Sakho remains sidelined with a hip injury, while left-back Jeffrey Schlupp has a hip injury and has not played since early December.
Match preview …
Had it not been for the stoppage-time implosion against Newcastle Carlo Ancelotti would be seeking his fourth win in four home matches as Everton manager. Having overseen the club’s first comeback victory in the Premier League for over two years last weekend, however, and with 10 men at Watford, he had no complaints over the response.
Palace lack that momentum, with no wins in 2020, only three victories in the last 17 league games and an underwhelming transfer window fuelling frustration around Selhurst Park, yet only three points separate these sides.
