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Crystal Palace 3 Everton 1: Blues back to losing ways

By Matt Townsend

LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 12: Demarai Gray of Everton looks dejected during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Everton at Selhurst Park on December 12, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 12: Demarai Gray of Everton looks dejected during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Everton at Selhurst Park on December 12, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images) /
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So, that was just a mirage. Having beaten Arsenal on Monday night to end a run of eight games without a win Everton returned to their losing habits as they lost 3-1 at Crystal Palace.

This match was a test to see whether these Everton players and manager could maintain the momentum of Monday’s win. And, they couldn’t.

Defeat today means that the Toffees have lost seven of the last nine matches and despite a few hopeful signs on Monday it’s back to usual business again.

In the first forty-five minutes of this game there was basically nothing at all from the away team they might as well not have turned up at all.

Everton were dreadful in the first half and offered so little that Palace were virtually controlling the ball the whole time and the Blues’ stood off them and let them pass it around.

I’ve been saying we must start to play a more energetic and up-to-date football and not spend all game every game allowing the opposition to dictate terms. It seems clear either these players can’t do that or they’re not being encouraged and allowed to do it, I think we know it’s the former.

And, while the Eagles deserved to win this afternoon, they are not Manchester City or Liverpool and shouldn’t be given so much of the ball and so much respect.

Once more too, individual defending errors also cost goals. We have seen far too much of this yet again this season.

Rafa Benitez picked a strange looking team with Fabian Delph coming back into the side to sit in front of the defence and Andre Gomes starting with Abdoulaye Doucoure further forward.

So, in theory he did play three in midfield but not in a 4-3-3 as I hoped, and it didn’t work. I did think Delph coming back might work if he went alongide Allan giving Doucoure the chance to link up with the three forwards, but the Brazilian is out and couldn’t play.

The Toffees’ of course gave away a soft first goal when Demarai Gray played a poor pass and Connor Gallagher pounced to slot the ball home.

Once again Everton gave themselves a mountain to climb to win the match given how poor this team is at coming back from behind away from home.

The second half was a little better, it could hardly have been worse, but then Benitez took off Richarlison and replaced him with Salomon Rondon.

This was greeted with howls of derision from the travelling supporters and it was a decision which might well mark the point when Benitez lost the fans finally.

To be fair to Rondon he did actually score a goal something we previously haven’t seen him manage to do.

That came after another goal conceded from a set-piece and gave very brief and faint hope the Blues’ might salvage something from the day. But, as usual it wasn’t to be and Gallagher with his second, a super strike, sealed Palace’s win.