Everton made a winning start to the new Premier League campaign by beating Crystal Palace thanks to classy goals from Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye. The side ruthlessly punished their visitors for a series of missed opportunities, scoring either side of the break to register their first opening-weekend win for five years.

The performance was symptomatic of a team maturing under tactical guidance. A 19-year-old midfielder operated alongside a new signing, directly involved in the first goal. His hustle turned the ball over for a crucial finish just before half-time. Shortly after the break, quick thinking from a free-kick released Iliman Ndiaye, who picked out the far corner with a cutting cross.

Palace faded horribly after a promising opening. Conversion issues appeared carried over from last season, with striker Eddie Nketiah guilty of spurning a prime opportunity when the game was goalless. Despite drawing a world-class save and hitting the woodwork, he could not score. Palace's expected goals tally of 2.04 was their highest in a Premier League game without scoring since December 2018.