Preview
Everton begin their 2026/27 Premier League campaign at home when they welcome Crystal Palace to the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, August 22.
It is an interesting opening fixture for both teams. Everton will want to start the season strongly in front of their home supporters, while Crystal Palace begin a new chapter under manager Pierre Sage after Oliver Glasner’s departure. The match is scheduled for 2:00pm GMT, or 3:00pm UK time.
Everton Match Preview
Last season was a mixed one for the Toffees. There were signs of improvement under Moyes, but a poor finish meant Everton eventually ended the campaign in 13th place. The club have added some depth during the summer and will be hoping to push higher up the table this time.
One of the more interesting additions is Brennan Johnson, who joined Everton after spending the previous season with Crystal Palace. His pace and ability to attack from wide areas could give Everton another option going forward. Jarrad Branthwaite is also expected to be available after being carefully managed during pre-season. James Tarkowski and Branthwaite could form the centre-back partnership, giving Moyes a strong base at the back.
Everton have had an inconsistent pre-season, although a 3-1 win over Newcastle was a positive result before their final warm-up match against Lille. Playing at home could be important in this fixture.
Crystal Palace Match Preview
Pierre Sage has taken over after Oliver Glasner’s departure. Glasner left after guiding Palace to a successful period that included three trophies, while the club also have European football to think about this season.
The change in manager means Palace may need some time to adjust to a different style of football. Sage also has the difficult job of balancing domestic fixtures with the Europa League campaign. There are still plenty of attacking players capable of causing problems. Jean-Philippe Mateta remains an important option up front, while Ismaïla Sarr and Adam Wharton will also be key players.
Palace’s main concern could be defensive stability. Maxence Lacroix has left the club, while the new manager is still working out his best defensive setup.
Win Probability
| Match Details |
|---|
| Fixture: Everton vs Crystal Palace |
| Competition: Premier League – Round 01 |
| Date: Saturday, August 22, 2026 |
| Time: 15:00 BST |
| Venue: Hill Dickinson Stadium |
| Everton Manager: David Moyes |
| Crystal Palace Manager: Pierre Sage |
| Referee: Paul Tierney |
Match Odds
| Outcome | Decimal | Fraction | American |
|---|---|---|---|
| Everton | 2.26 | 63/50 | 126 |
| Draw | 3.55 | 51/20 | 255 |
| Crystal Palace | 3.55 | 51/20 | 255 |
Predicted Line Up
Everton Formation 4-3-3
Crystal Palace Formation 3-4-3
Over/Under Goals Odds & Probability
| Market | Decimal | Fraction | American |
|---|---|---|---|
| Over 0.5 | 1.07 | 7/100 | -1428.6 |
| Over 1.5 | 1.22 | 11/50 | -454.5 |
| Over 2.5 | 2 | 1/1 | 100 |
Anytime Goalscorer Probability
Everton Goalscorer Predictions
Crystal Palace Goalscorer Predictions
Goalscorer to Watch: Iliman Ndiaye
Iliman Ndiaye is the Everton player I would keep an eye on in this fixture. The Senegal international is expected to play in an attacking role behind the striker, giving him opportunities to run at the Palace defence and get into the box. Ndiaye was also Everton’s most dangerous attacking player in the previous meeting between the sides, although he did not score in the 2-2 draw.
With Everton playing at home and Palace still adapting to Pierre Sage’s new system, Ndiaye could find enough space to make an impact.
Both Team To Score (BTTS) Probability & Odds
| Market | Decimal | Fraction | American |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 1.8 | 4/5 | -125 |
| No | 2.18 | 59/50 | 118 |
Everton vs Crystal Palace Prediction
This is a difficult game to call because both clubs have reasons for optimism and some question marks. Everton have home advantage and a more settled manager in David Moyes, while Palace are still adapting to Pierre Sage. Everton also have the better recent record in this fixture. Palace have enough attacking quality to score, but Everton should be able to create chances of their own.
Prediction: Everton 1-1 Crsytal Palace
My Picks
| Picks | Confidence |
| Over 1.5 Goals | High |
| Everton Win or Draw | Medium |
