Everton vs Crystal Palace Preview: Team News & Prediction

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The Hill Dickinson Stadium kicks off Everton’s Premier League campaign against last season’s UEFA Europa Conference League winners Crystal Palace.

Kick-off date/time: 22 August 2026 at 3:00 pm

How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / USA – USA Network

How to watch online: UK – Cannot be streamed / USA – Universo

Everton preview: Need to progress

Having survived by the skin of their teeth in the final couple of seasons at Goodison Park, David Moyes is now tasked with progressing Everton and bringing European football to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, having missed out late on last season.

The Evertonians, perhaps more due to the counter-attacking nature of Moyes’ style of football, were better away from home, with their best performances at the Hill Dickinson coming in games against the ‘bigger’ sides in England, such as their victory against Chelsea in March, a late defeat to Liverpool in the Merseyside Derby and a thrilling 3-3 draw against Manchester City.

Crystal Palace preview: A new era

Prior to the arrival of Oliver Glasner, Crystal Palace had never won a major honour. Now The Eagles have won the FA Cup and the Community Shield, as well as the UEFA Europa Conference League as they defeated Rayo Vallecano in the final in Leipzig in May.

Palace have again undergone some changes with the ‘selling club’ now losing their manager Glasner, now of Nottingham Forest. He has been replaced by Pierre Sage, who did an extremely impressive job in helping Lens challenge Paris Saint-Germain for the Ligue 1 title last season.

Everton team news: Johnson could start

Brennan Johnson and Dwight McNeil were involved in a fairly bizarre, given their seeming respective value, straight swap this summer and the former may well be involved from the start here due to Everton's lack of wide options.

Merlin Rohl has been the main beneficiary of the failure to sign a right-back so far as the German midfielder has filled in there and done reasonably well so he could get the nod although he may play his familiar central midfield role with Jake O'Brien at full-back.

Key midfielder James Garner is due to start the season unavailable with fellow midfielder Tim Iroegbunam, the subject of interest from elsewhere, also sidelined. Christian Norgaard has also been left frustrated by a minor injury that shouldn't keep him out for too long.

Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Rohl, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Armstrong, Hackney; Johnson, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Beto

Unavailable: Garner (Injured), Norgaard (Injured), Iroegbunam (Injured)

Questionable:

Everton’s top FPL assets

James Tarkowski (£6.0m) – Defender

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (£6.5m) – Midfielder

Iliman Ndiaye (£6.0m) – Midfielder

Gameweek 1 captain pick: Iliman Ndiaye

Crystal Palace team news: Henderson a doubt

Dwight McNeil has also raced himself back to full fitness with Cheick Doucoure also returning. Adam Wharton has also got himself fully fit, too.

Goalkeeper and captain Dean Henderson is a doubt after a knock sustained in their final pre-season game but it would be a surprise if he didn't start, while Jean-Philippe Mateta is also expected to start.

Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Henderson; Richards, Riad, Canvot; Munoz, Wharton, Kamada, Mitchell; Sarr, Pino; Mateta

Unavailable: 

Questionable: Henderson (Injured)

Crystal Palace’s top FPL assets

Daniel Munoz (£5.5m) – Defender

Ismaila Sarr (£6.5m) – Midfielder

Jean-Philippe Mateta (£6.5m) – Forward

Gameweek 1 captain pick: Jean-Philippe Mateta

Everton vs Crystal Palace prediction

As mentioned, Everton’s preference is to play on the counter-attack with a rigid defence then springing forward. The Toffees would not have been able to do that against Glasner’s Palace, who were perhaps the best at that style of football in the Premier League. Sage played a more proactive style in France, with Lens as well as with Olympique Lyonnais, but away from home and likely set for a wait before he can really imprint his football onto his side, they, too, may remain more conservative early on. As a result, a low-scoring encounter seems a decent bet for this one in Liverpool.

Everton vs Crystal Palace tip: Under 2.5 goals