Match Focus: Everton Aim to Leapfrog Palace in Exciting Encounter

Just one point separates Everton and Crystal Palace heading into Monday night’s clash at Goodison Park, in what promises to be an entertaining battle between the two European hopefuls.

With plenty of exciting attacking talents on display for either side, there should be chances at either end to continue the trend between the two on Merseyside since Palace returned to the top-flight. Both matches at Goodison in that time have ended in 3-2 wins for the away side, while Everton picked up three points at Selhurst Park in their most recent meeting, proving home advantage has counted for little in this fixture.

Indeed, the last time the home side came out on top in this encounter saw Everton win 4-0 back in 2005, with the Toffees aiming to replicate their last performance on home turf, which ended in the same scoreline against Aston Villa. Only Manchester City have scored more goals at home than Martinez’s men this season (16), but again it’s only Pellegrini’s charges that have conceded fewer goals on the road than Palace (5).

View the full match preview and predicted line-ups here

While the likes of Ross Barkley and Gerard Deulofeu have both flourished for Everton of late, it’s Romelu Lukaku who is again leading their charge to challenge the top 4 this season. The Belgian scored again in midweek, ensuring the Toffees safe passage to the Capital One Cup semi-final, and his scintillating form will be a concern to Alan Pardew.

With a late goal at Bournemouth last weekend the 22-year old took his league tally to 10 for the season, second only to Jamie Vardy and enough to match his tally from the entirety of the 2014/15 campaign. Netting in each of his last 5 appearances for Everton in all competitions, he’ll be confident of extending that run against Palace having opened the scoring in the last two meetings between the sides.

The Toffees are maximising the strengths of their front man, who is able to bring their creative players into play and keep possession further up the pitch. Against a Palace side that tend to surrender possession to their opponents on the road, Lukaku should thrive once more and I’d expect the striker to extend his scoring streak and would buy shares in the match market from kick-off south of £0.60.

For the visitors, while the likes of Bolasie and Puncheon will be expected to carry the attacking threat in the absence of suspended Wilf Zaha, avoiding being overrun in the middle ground will be key. Yohan Cabaye will again have a crucial role to play then, and will be more confident if Everton are without James McCarthy in the centre of the pitch after he was withdrawn through injury last weekend.

The Frenchman, nevertheless, will have a big role to play at either end for the visitors regardless. Cabaye has won the second most interceptions of any Premier League player this season and that tally of 55 is likely to be on the rise against an Everton side that like to thread passes through the middle of the pitch to Lukaku and Barkley.

That said, there isn’t too much value in a solid defensive showing from midfield, which I’d expect the former Newcastle man to be limited to on Monday. For that reason I would only be a buyer in Buabook’s match markets for less than £0.30 and would sell any shares in excess of that figure.

In the past the home side have struggled in this fixture but on current form, despite Palace’s impressive away record, the Toffees will rightly be favourites to leapfrog the Eagles upon the final whistle.

You can trade the values of any of the players on display as Everton host Palace with Buabook, the first player trading exchange based on detailed statistics