Crystal Palace 2-2 Everton
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Unsworth pleased with Everton ‘fight’
Caretaker manager David Unsworth praised Everton's "great resilience and desire" after they twice came from behind to draw 2-2 at Crystal Palace.
A meeting of the Premier League's worst defences featured two goals in the first seven minutes, when James McArthur netted after good work from Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Leighton Baines responded from the penalty spot.
Roy Hodgson's Palace took heart from the chances they were creating and restored their lead thanks to Wilfried Zaha's close-range strike.
Nervy defensive moments were par for the course from both sides, though, and in first-half stoppage time Scott Dann was dispossessed by Idrissa Gueye. Gylfi Sigurdsson played in striker Oumar Niasse, who punished the error with a calm finish.
The Eagles should have capitalised on their second-half dominance but substitute Christian Benteke scuffed a golden opportunity wide with eight minutes left. He saw another decent effort saved by Jordan Pickford moments later.
Unsworth said: "That was a well-fought point. I am delighted with a point.
"We conceded two poor goals - our own downfall. To concede so early is always a blow but we came back strongly and this team has shown they have fight and desire."
Wilfried Zaha scores Palace's second goal
A point was not enough to lift Palace off the bottom of the table but they seem in far better shape than their shambolic early-season offerings.
Unsworth, who continues to audition for the manager's job on a permanent basis, will be no surer of his fate after a mixed display from the visitors.
The 44-year-old, who won the FA Cup as an Everton player in 1995, said: "As for me, I don't know. Tomorrow is a good day off then we'll see what happens on Monday."
Everton and Palace have now conceded 24 goals in the league, clear evidence of their defensive problems.
But at least Palace, who sacked Frank de Boer after only five games of the campaign, have some clarity of leadership under Hodgson.
The former England manager employed a 4-4-2 formation which allowed the buoyant Loftus-Cheek, who impressed for England in the recent friendlies against Germany and Brazil, to get forward at will.
Loftus-Cheek on a high
Loftus-Cheek had a bad back before the game, but the sprightly 21-year-old midfielder will have walked tall off the rain-soaked pitch.
He was a constant menace, creating Palace's opener in the first minute and often making things happen with his surging runs.
Experienced Everton left-back Baines had his hands full every time the Chelsea loanee bombed forward, and eventually the visitors resorted to fouling him.
Tom Davies, 19, was lucky to avoid a booking for scything down Loftus-Cheek, whose self-belief could be contagious.
Sometimes it just takes one player to make the difference and, with Loftus-Cheek firing, it takes some of the strain off Zaha.
Zaha has so often seemed Palace's only ray of light this season, and he reminded everyone why with his well-timed run to convert Joel Ward's 34th-minute cross.
Massive negative to only get draw - Hodgson
If the pair of them keep this up, the Londoners have a fighting chance of pulling themselves away from danger.
"We really did boss the game, playing some excellent football," said Hodgson.
"We have dropped two more points. Mistakes happen, don't they? Being wise after the event doesn't serve any purpose at all.
"I thought Loftus-Cheek was very good today, as was the whole midfield. Our midfield controlled the game totally, and we used the ball very well.
"I can't ask for more than I got from the players today, but I must admit to being bitterly disappointed. It is not enough just to give players credit for a performance - as a manager I was to see some points on the board."
Everton's muddled thinking
Everton have made eight changes at half-time in their past 10 games.
Ademola Lookman and Morgan Schneiderlin were replaced on Saturday, but it is a revolving cast of underwhelming players who are contributing to the Merseysiders' malaise.
Unsworth has continued former boss Ronald Koeman's habit of trying to remedy the problems created by his starting XI after 45 minutes.
He mirrored Palace's 4-4-2 for the second half, although Dominic Calvert-Lewin's introduction was only denied an instant reward by a superb save from Palace keeper Julian Speroni.
Also in Unsworth's favour was his decision to stand by Niasse. The striker won a penalty and calmly converted for Everton's second equaliser, proving once again he can be an effective outlet for a side looking for any positives they can take.
Man of the match - Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Crystal Palace)
Ruben Loftus-Cheek (left) created several chances and led the Palace charge from the first whistle
'Everton must sort manager situation out now'
Former Everton captain Phil Neville on BBC Match of the Day:
Everton have bid £10m for Marco Silva so it seems that's who they want. He's a fantastic young manager but they have to sort it out now, after they've waited 27 days since they sacked Ronald Koeman.
What next?
Crystal Palace host Stoke City next Saturday (25 November, 15:00 GMT), while Everton host Italian club Atalanta in the Europa League at Goodison Park on Thursday (23 November, 29:05 GMT).
Fastest Premier League goal of the season - the stats
Palace have collected five points from their opening 12 Premier League games - only one team have survived relegation having won five points or fewer at this stage (Everton, four points in 1994-95).
After failing to score in five of six home Premier League games between April and September, Palace have scored two or more goals in three consecutive top-flight home games for the first time since August 1991.
James McArthur's goal after 51 seconds was Crystal Palace's second fastest goal in Premier League history - only Dwight Gayle against Newcastle (31 seconds) in August 2014 was scored quicker; it was also the fastest Premier League goal this season.
Everton have conceded inside the first minute of 10 Premier League games, more than any other side.
Oumar Niasse has scored more Premier League goals this season (5 in 7 games) than he managed in his previous two seasons combined (4 in 22).
David Unsworth is the only defender to score more Premier League penalties (22) than Leighton Baines (20).
Baines scored in back-to-back Premier League games for the first time.
Three of the past five occasions of both teams scoring twice in the first half of Premier League matches have involved Palace or Everton (Crystal Palace v Liverpool in October 2016 and Everton v Leicester in April 2017).