After having five draws in the last six opening day fixtures, Everton were hoping to break the curse but a goalless draw, their first on the opening day since the 98-99 season meant it wasn’t meant to be.
Everton were hoping to continue their good form from the end of last season into the new campaign and should have taken the lead inside two minutes through Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Lucas Digne’s low cross was only half-cleared by ex-Liverpool defender Martin Kelly straight into the Icelandic Sigurdsson’s path, and from all of 12 yards you expected the net to bulge, but he put his effort wide of the post.
Richarlison had an effort blocked by Cristian Benteke in the 13th minute from a Sigurdsson corner, and on the half-hour mark Everton should have taken the lead but club captain Seamus Coleman’s effort was struck straight at Vicente Guaita.
Some very good link-up play down Everton’s left between Bernard and Morgan Schneiderlin lead to Digne escaping into the Palace box, his goal-bound shot was deflected by Kelly and whizzed across the area to the onrushing Coleman whose first time shot was blocked by Guaita.
Crystal Place took a while to get into the game and almost tested Jordan Pickford with five minutes to go of the first-half. James McArthur received the ball in the centre of Everton’s half, he spotted the run of Max Meyer as the Everton defence switched off.
The German tried to get the ball onto his right foot inside of the Everton area, but his shot was closed down quickly by Coleman who deflected it behind for a corner kick. Everton, who had a terrible record from set pieces last season, were tested for the final few minutes with consecutive corners but none of them provided any difficulties.
Summer signing Jean-Philippe Gbamin was brought into the action just before the half ended to replace Andre Gomes who picked up an injury on the stroke of halftime, and the second half started similarly to the first half did.
Digne who had plenty of space down Everton’s left picked out Sigurdsson once again, he couldn’t get clean contact with the ball which meant he ending up shooting with his knee and it was easily dealt with on the line by Patrick van Aanholt.
The Palace fans tried their best to get behind their team and this seemed to give the players a lift as they had two great opportunities to break the deadlock just before the hour mark.
A through ball from Benteke to new permanent signing Jordan Ayew meant he only had to beat Jordan Pickford, but the England international was quick off his line and denied the Ghanaian the opening goal.
England’s number one was tested only moments later when Meyer ghosted in behind Coleman, but his shot was straight at Pickford.
Everton came closest to winning the game with little over twenty minutes to go when Richarlison’s vicious effort from the edge of the area whistled wide of the post. The ball fell perfectly for the Brazilian after Palace captain Luka Milivojević inadvertently set up the winger.
With only fifteen minutes of the game remaining Palace’s captain was then the subject of a late tackle from Schneiderlin, with the Frenchman earning his second yellow of the game meaning Everton finished the game with ten men on the opening day for the second successive season, after Phil Jagielka was sent off last season at Wolves.
Both teams tried for the winner, but neither side could find the breakthrough.
Everton will hope that Andre Gomes’ injury isn’t too serious especially with Schneiderlin receiving a ban, meaning they now only have Gbamin and Tom Davies as central midfield options for next week’s game at home to Watford, as Fabian Delph is also out while currently nursing a groin injury.
