Match Preview
Selhurst Park
Sunday, 10 May, 2026
Kick-off: 2pm
As Everton ploughed their way through successive seasons of relegation and financial danger between 2021 and 2024, the prospect of the Blues qualifying for the Champions League felt as far away as Jupiter. And yet this season, thanks to the award of one of the European Performance Spots to England, the door to the Continental gravy train has been open for them all campaign long.
It might have seemed to only be ajar prior to kick-off against Manchester City last Monday after David Moyes’s side threw away points in injury time against Liverpool and West Ham but once Thierno Barry had doubled his personal tally on the night and put Everton 3-1 up over the title hopefuls, that gateway to the Champions League opened up that little bit wider… only to narrow again as Erling Haaland was practically ushered in to halve the lead and Jeremy Doku broke Evertonian hearts with practically the last kick of the game.
If you go by form and weigh up the remaining fixtures of the teams around Everton in the race for Europe, Brighton & Hove Albion appear best place of the lot to take that extra Champions League slot should Villa triumph in Budapest later this month and also finish fifth. The Seagulls face relegated Wolves at home, travel to lowly Leeds and then host a Manchester United side on the final day who could well be on the proverbial beach.
To have a hope of leap-frogging Brighton, Everton would have to win all three of their remaining games and hope that Fabian Hurzeler’s outfit slip up a couple of times along with Bournemouth and Brentford. There’s hope but it’s slim.
European qualification of some description remains possible, however, but it will require the Toffees significantly improving on their last away day in the Capital at the London Stadium a fortnight ago.
Apart from a 10-minute spell to start the contest and a flurry in the second half following Tyrique George’s introduction off the bench, Moyes’s men lacked the requisite drive and intensity to win the game. They managed to draw themselves level after being denied a clear penalty for handball by Matheus Fernandes but then passed up a valuable point by conceding in time added on.
Both the level of effort and that of their concentration will need to be dramatically different against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park this Sunday in what is a must-win match. Palace, who were given the day off by Oliver Glasner after their victorious Europa Conference League semi-final against Shakhtar Donetsk, are likely to be somewhat tired and distracted by their big date with Rayo Vallecano on the 27th.
As such, Everton will have few excuses and there is every chance that the impetus they will need and which was lacking against the Hammers could come from two of their star performers from last Monday — Merlin Röhl and Tim Iroegbunam.
The German was a surprise inclusion in the side to face City and surprised everybody with a swashbuckling display full of energy and pacy running. He almost had an assist in the first half, set Barry up for his second goal in the second and was, arguably, man of the match.
Officially, that accolade went to Iroegbunam and with Idrissa Gueye likely to miss out with the minor injury that sidelined him for the City game, the former Aston Villa midfielder will get another opportunity to impress in central midfield, presumably alongside James Garner in what could be an unchanged line-up.
There remains a case for starting George, who had that excellent cameo against the Hammers, particularly as the games are running out for the club to truly assess his ability before his loan from Chelsea expires.
Moyes, however, is often one for consistency and a settled line-up; as such, it would be no surprise if he named the same time as the one that started against City.
Keys to the Game
Palace have had an indifferent season as Glasner has tried to steer a comparatively small squad through a season with heavy commitments in Europe and with them having been in action on Thursday, this one might come down to how much Everton want it and whether they can perform on the day.
Certainly, if they approach the game with the same attitude, application and desire they showed throughout against Chelsea at home or in patches against the likes of Fulham and Newcastle in recent weeks then the Blues should be able to get the result they need.
Much will be asked of Iliman Ndiaye, who was profligate against City, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall going forward and the central-defensive partnership of Michael Keane and James Tarkowski at the back where they will be tasked with keeping Jean-Philippe Mateta and Jorgen Strand Larsen quiet.
And Everton have a good record on the home turf of Palace who will again be without their playmaker, Adam Wharton. The Toffees have lost just once at Selhurst Park in their last 11 visits.
Head to Head since 1992*
Everton wins: 8
Crystal Palace wins: 2
Draws: 7
*At Selhurst Park