Good afternoon and welcome to our minute-by-minute report as Everton begin their 2026-27 Premier League campaign at home to Crystal Palace.
The match kicks off at 3pm at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Everton are aiming for a strong start following a disappointing end to the previous campaign, where losses to Sunderland and Tottenham extinguished any hopes of European qualification.
Summer arrivals Hayden Hackney and Brennan Johnson could make their first appearances, with Johnson potentially lining up against his former club after arriving earlier this month in a swap deal that sent Dwight McNeil to Palace.
There is a different face in the Palace technical area, with Pierre Sage having taken over from Oliver Glasner, who guided the club to Europa Conference League and FA Cup glory.
David Moyes continues as Everton manager and will be targeting another positive result against the Eagles.
Joe Thomas and Chris Beesley are at the stadium to provide build-up coverage, team news, live commentary and post-match analysis.
Key Events
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is present in the crowd, having upgraded from his usual South Stand season ticket to a directors’ box seat. Stadium screens show him sitting with his wife on one side and Peter Reid on the other.
Harrison Armstrong wins possession for Everton and initiates a promising counter-attack with quick passing, though Tyrique George’s low cross is comfortably intercepted.
Both teams have begun cautiously in this opening encounter.
With Jack Grealish absent from the Palace line-up, perhaps Vitalii Mykolenko aims to join Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in a new ‘Holy Shinity’ as the left-back has his socks pulled down around his ankles.
Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta creates the game’s first opening but fires his effort over the crossbar.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall gets proceedings started with Everton attacking the North Stand in the opening period.
Another payment related to Profit and Sustainability Rules was made by Everton to Burnley over the summer, so it comes as no surprise that home supporters have jeered the Premier League anthem before kick-off.
However, there is a warm reception for Palace’s former Everton player Dwight McNeil, with David Moyes offering a handshake to opposing manager Pierre Sage.
Two large banners occupy the space between the upper and lower tiers of the South Stand, displaying the message ‘On the Banks of the Royal Blue Mersey’, along with numerous flags organised by the 1878s supporters group.
With McNeil having departed, summer signing Tyrique George faces a significant opportunity today. During his loan spell from Chelsea in the second half of last term, the 20-year-old made only one start.
For many years, Palace’s visit to Goodison has provided Everton with crucial results when needed. Under Lampard, there was that remarkable 3-2 victory that secured survival. He also oversaw a 3-0 home win that arguably represented his most complete performance, with McNeil coming off the bench to score twice and give Dyche his first home win of the following season. Most recently, Jack Grealish’s late goal secured victory last season.
This encounter brings some apprehension – is Palace a favourable opponent today, or are they due a positive result at this venue?
As well as McNeil making his competitive Palace debut, Everton supporters may also be watching Daniel Munoz, who has been linked with the club’s long-running search for a new right-back.
Opta statistics reveal Everton’s starting XI has an average age of 25.8 years, while Palace’s is 26.5 years.
Interested in Iliman Ndiaye making an immediate impact in Premier League action? Or Thierno Barry building on his encouraging pre-season displays?
Using Bet365’s BetBoosts, you can back Ndiaye at 13/5 to have a shot on target from outside the penalty area (improved from 12/5), while Barry is available at 17/2 to score with his head (improved from 15/2).
Although he wore the armband for most of last season, James Tarkowski has now been officially named Everton’s new club captain, succeeding long-serving Seamus Coleman who departed after 17-and-a-half years with the club.
Tarkowski shares his thoughts in his initial set of programme notes.
David Moyes has remained largely quiet throughout the summer, until contractual obligations recently required him to speak to various media outlets, making his programme notes particularly interesting.
The Everton manager discusses transfers, saying the club continues to work hard attempting to strengthen the squad and hopes to complete further business before the transfer window shuts on 1 September.
Regarding the matchday atmosphere, the Scottish manager states the first season at Hill Dickinson Stadium proved to be a positive experience overall. He says they would have preferred to secure more victories there, but conversely, their away support witnessed some of Everton’s finest performances. Their away form was outstanding and they must now replicate that at home. He notes that naturally, the supporters will play a vital role in helping them achieve this. He hopes they have now settled in and grown accustomed to their new environment. They will all be working diligently to make the stadium feel even more like home and together they can secure the results they desire.
With Dibling among the substitutes and George in the starting eleven, Ndiaye appears likely to begin from the right flank. This seems suboptimal as he performs better from the left, and while capable on the right, it represents another compromise within the squad.
Confirmation arrives that Dwight McNeil goes straight into Palace’s starting eleven against his former club.
Defending set pieces will present a challenge.
The Crystal Palace starting line-up has been confirmed.
Positive news for Everton as James Garner returns to the substitutes’ bench following his hernia surgery.
One alteration from last Saturday’s final summer friendly against Lille sees Tyrique George replace Tyler Dibling in the starting eleven.
Iliman Ndiaye presumably returns to the right wing and Merlin Rohl continues at right-back.
Merlin Rohl has impressed during pre-season and opened the scoring in Hamburg but may continue operating away from his natural central midfield position.
Here arrives the opening team announcement of the campaign.
Pickford; Mykolenko, Branthwaite, Tarkowski, Rohl; Armstrong, Dewsbury-Hall, Hackney; George, Barry, Ndiaye
No major surprises apparent – Merlin Rohl wins the contest to start at right-back ahead of Jake O’Brien.
Thierno Barry gets the nod over Beto, which seems justified. Harrison Armstrong’s inclusion in midfield is welcome, while Hayden Hackney also makes his debut. With Rohl selected at right-back, the injury situation offered few alternatives.
The one unexpected selection is Tyrique George starting ahead of Tyler Dibling. Dibling performed adequately during the summer and, without anyone making a stronger argument, dropping him today could damage his confidence. Ndiaye may operate on the right with George on the left.
Opta’s pre-match analysis follows.
Everton commence their new Premier League season with a home fixture against Crystal Palace, who aim to exceed expectations at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday.
The clubs shared a 2-2 draw in their most recent Premier League encounter, a 2025/2026 match at Selhurst Park. James Tarkowski and Beto scored for Everton. Ismaïla Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta found the net for Palace.
Everton have dominated Palace recently, remaining unbeaten in the last nine Premier League matches between the clubs. A Palace victory would mark their first league success against Everton since December 2021. During that span, Everton have outscored Palace 18 goals to 10.
Beto led Everton with nine Premier League goals last season.
Palace were led by Mateta with 12 goals in the previous campaign.
Everton secured six victories, five draws and eight defeats in 19 home Premier League matches last season. Palace managed seven wins, three draws and nine defeats in their 19 away Premier League fixtures.
Opta provides a look back at recent meetings between the clubs.
The previous six encounters between Everton and Crystal Palace.
Observations from earlier arrivals…
A warm welcome to Hill Dickinson Stadium to my old friend Rob McCann from the University of Central Lancashire.
Despite being from Yorkshire and supporting Bradford City throughout his life, Rob has lived in this region for many years and is attending with his youngest son. I’ve told him to enjoy his day at the finest stadium in the country!
Former Everton striker Ayegbeni Yakubu visits Houston Texans
Ayegbeni Yakubu was a guest of the NFL’s Houston Texans on Friday as the former forward was welcomed to the city ahead of Everton’s Premier League Coast to Coast watch party.
The Yakubu is set to join hundreds of Everton supporters at Pitch 25 in downtown Houston later today to watch the Blues’ 2026/27 season opener against Crystal Palace and mark the start of the new Premier League campaign.
On the eve of the event, the former Nigeria international visited Reliant Stadium, where he was shown around by the Texans’ two-time Pro Bowl cornerback Johnathan Joseph.
After exchanging shirts with Joseph, a first round selection for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2006 who spent nine seasons with the Texans, Yakubu received a stadium tour, heading pitchside to view the 72,000-capacity venue – a stadium that hosted seven matches during this summer’s World Cup.
The visit to Reliant Stadium was arranged by Everton’s Official Culinary Experience Partner Aramark, who also provide catering for Reliant Stadium and Houston’s Major League Baseball team, the Astros.
Yakubu also met supporters from the HTX (Houston) Evertonians Supporters’ Club on Friday, and was officially welcomed to Texas by British Consul General in Houston, Richard Shackleton MBE.
The opening weekend of the Premier League season sees all 20 clubs hosting watch parties across the USA.
Those attending Pitch 25 can meet Yakubu, experience Hill Dickinson Stadium through VR technology, win signed Everton merchandise, enjoy performances by freestyle footballer Zohair Ali and more.
Doors open from 8am CDT ahead of the 9am CDT kick-off, with Everton and football-themed entertainment continuing throughout the day.
In Houston? It is not too late to attend at Pitch 25.REGISTER TO ATTEND HERE.
Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the first live match blog of the new season as Everton host Crystal Palace in the opening fixture of their second campaign at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The corresponding match last year produced exciting action, with the Blues coming from behind to end the Eagles’ club-record 19-game unbeaten run as Jack Grealish scored the first stoppage-time winner at the 52,769-capacity venue.
Bet365 price Everton at 11/10 favourites this afternoon, Crystal Palace at 11/5 and the draw at 12/5.
We’re back!
Everton’s 2026/27 Premier League season begins in a couple of hours with Crystal Palace’s visit to Hill Dickinson Stadium, and you are in the correct place for live coverage of the 3pm kick-off.