Everton 1 Crystal Palace 1: Toffees rescue a point but don't win again

Everton are out of the relegation zone but only on goal difference and Luton Town have a game in hand so the Blues are far from out of the woods just yet.

Once again the lack of firepower up front told against them as the Toffees were the better side overall, especially ater going behind in the second half to Jordan Ayew's strike, but couldn't capitatalise.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin again missed a good chance in the first half as he headed wide and James Tarkowski also had an opportunity saved by Palace keeper Johnstone.

Fortunately late on from a set-piece Onana rose to power home the header that earned the home side a point.

However, the faces of the home players at the end of the contest though showed the disappointment with another draw and another opportunity to win blown.

Of course on balance a point gained is better than two lost or none at all, obviously. But, the Blues did badly need all three and it leaves them still deeply immersed in the relegation fight.

As expected Sean Dyche welcomed back several of his key players after injury absences. Crucially, both Amadou Onana and Abdoulaye Doucoure returned to the team and in Onana's case that would prove critical.

It is fitting that the equaliser should come from a midfielder, although on this occasion not from Doucoure, the side's leading scorer back for the first time since January and the game against Aston Villa.

Again though Everton really should have put this match to bed earlier on and this profligacy in front of goal is proving a real problem, one that Dyche must address as a matter of urgency.

With Calvert-Lewin again drawing a blank and now without a goal since late October, it really is time to think differently and try a new formula.

I don't know exactly what the solution is but sticking to the old approach isn't working while time and the games, are beginning to run out for the Toffees.

The Blues have thirteen Premier League matches left and assuming they don't have more points deducted (and who would bet against that!) then realistically looking at their fixtures there are on paper, about eighteen points that might not seem unreasonable to imagine they could get.

That would I think be more than enough to stay up. But, it is predicated on Everton winning six or seven games at least, something that will be a tall order if they continue to struggle this badly to score goals!

So far this calendar year the Toffees haven't won a single game in the Premier League so the omens are frankly not very good.

Next up is a trip to the Amex Stadium to play Brighton and Hove Albion. A repeat of that extraordinary 5-1 win late last season is certainly badly needed again.