What an insane and crazy few hours that was as somehow, despite being two goals down and looking done and dusted, Everton turned tonight’s match around as history repeated itself to ensure Premier League survival.
At halftime it seemed as though time really had run out for Everton as Palace went into a deserved two nil lead and were very much in control.
However, after the break the Blues’ came out with renewed energy and determination and against the odds they found the reserve of strength and determination to come back for the most important win at Goodison Park in decades.
In my match preview I speculated that the dreadful 3-2 defeat to Brentford on Sunday might have punctured the fragile improvement in this side’s resiliance and dealt a possible terminal blow to the team’s ability to fight back again.
I was wrong, and of course I am very happy to be proved wrong!
At the start of the game though the home side looked understandably nervous and as if they were carrying the mental scars of Sunday’s loss.
Part of this may have been the understandable desire of Frank Lampard and his players to try and be tight and cautious at the back given the magnitude of the match and his depleted defence.
Without Yerry Mina and Jarrad Branthwaite and with Ben Godfrey only fit enough to start on the bench, Lampard had few options at centre-back to pick from.
The end result was that the Toffees’ allowed Palace to get a grip on the game after a fractious start and the passion exuding from the stands seemed to have unsettled Everton rather than the visitors.
To his credit Lampard recognised the need for the Blues’ to get on the front foot more despite being two down and he changed things bringing on the almost forgotten January deadline day signing Dele Alli after halftime in place of Andre Gomes.
It worked as the ex-Spurs and England star helped to provide that additional attacking impetus and quality as the home team came back into the match.
Micheal Keane got the ball rolling with a goal that goes a long way to make up for the many mistakes he has made this season which have cost dearly.
Then with Alli playing a part Everton conjured up an equaliser just fifteen minutes from the end through Richarlison.
At this point I would have settled for a point in the knowledge that as long as Leeds didn’t win on Sunday and the Blues’ were beaten, they would survive on goal difference at the very least.
But, then came the almost storybook-like ending as Dominic Calvert-Lewin put Demarai Gray’s free-kick away for the winning goal.
So, a 3-2 comback win at home after two goals down to secure Premier League status, just like in 1994. Let’s all enjoy this moment of course, but in truth the real work now begins to make sure this never ever happens again.