Burnham’s boys enjoy visit from Palace as Everton ease to opening day win

Andy Burnham was in the posh seats to see how his beloved Everton would fare without the key additions that even the prime minister has voiced an opinion on. No right-back, no new centre-forward, no problem: Everton contained enough quality to overcome a wasteful Crystal Palace.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Iliman Ndiaye delivered a timely reminder that, despite the missing pieces in the squad, there is pedigree and Premier League knowhow available to David Moyes as he attempts to sustain a challenge for European qualification this season.

Dewsbury-Hall swept home an outstanding finish to give Everton the lead and sweep away any lingering resentment over how last season flatlined. Ndiaye supplied the superb cross that invited Thierno Barry to seal Everton’s first opening game win since 2021. It was a brutal introduction for the new Palace manager, Pierre Sage, who lost defender Chadi Riad to a potentially serious knee injury late on.

“I spoke to the prime minister on the phone,” Moyes said. “Andy Gray came down into the office [before the game] and his assistant Peter Reid phoned down.”

Reid was Burnham’s chaperone for the day – along with a phalanx of security – and put the prime minister on the phone during his call to Moyes. His good luck message was answered, thanks in part to Palace’s profligacy.

There were no radical changes in formation or personnel from Sage for his first Premier League outing. A lack of cutting edge was familiar from the Oliver Glasner era, too. The visitors created three clear opportunities before Everton took the lead and failed to take any. Misfortune played its part in two of the chances, with Jordan Pickford’s left post struck twice, but that did not diminish the torment for Sage and the travelling support. A sense of the inevitable from Everton increased with each one.

Palace denied reports that Ismaïla Sarr had refused to play because of a desire to join Galatasaray – the Senegal international was absent due to a groin injury, according to his manager – and the disruption had no effect on their start. Eddie Nketiah created an early opportunity for Jean-Philippe Mateta, but his strike partner volleyed over at the near post.

Chance number two came from a sublime pass by Adam Wharton, the midfielder who Sage has insisted is going nowhere despite interest from Manchester City. Wharton found Nketiah free inside the area with a perfectly weighted ball over Merlin Röhl, forced to deputise at right-back in the absence of a conclusion to Everton’s almost farcical search for Séamus Coleman’s successor.

Nketiah had time to pick his spot but Pickford produced a superb save to tip the shot on to a post. Mateta struck the same post from another Nketiah cross and Everton took full advantage of their reprieves.

Everton grew into their opening game, with the summer signings Hayden Hackney, Tyrique George and Röhl all impressing. Creativity was initially in short supply from the home side, despite George’s constant probing on the left, until Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye imposed themselves on proceedings.

Dewsbury-Hall’s impact was worth the wait. The midfielder burst into life with a mazy run that ended with an appeal for handball when his shot hit Chris Richards. Play continued through Daniel Muñoz, a possible Everton right-back target, who was dispossessed by the industrious Harrison Armstrong and left a void for Dewsbury-Hall to exploit. Receiving Armstrong’s pass, the 27-year-old swept an unstoppable, angled drive into Dean Henderson’s far corner to open the season in style for Everton.

Muñoz should have made amends when stealing in ahead of George to meet an inviting delivery from Daichi Kamada. Palace’s end product did not match the buildup yet again, however, and the Colombian defender guided his header wide of the far post.

Everton found the comfort of a two-goal lead when Ndiaye delivered a peach of a cross from the right. Barry, on a self-confessed mission to improve after a difficult debut season in the Premier League, rose between Richards and Jaydee Canvot to head past Henderson at close range. The departure of the unfortunate Riad on a stretcher compounded Palace’s deflating afternoon.