Everton

Tottenham are planning a summer move for Everton's 22-year-old English midfielder James Garner. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

Joe Bradshaw
BBC Sport journalist

Sean Dyche has been speaking to the media before Everton’s game at Crystal Palace on Monday.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Seamus Coleman and Amadou Onana are both available. Abdoulaye Doucoure has also been "back on the grass this week" so will be in contention.

• Dyche praised Doucoure who has been a consistent source of goals for the Toffees boss: "He is a player I have always liked. I put him straight in the side and he has delivered. We want him to come back in and do well again."

• He is not discouraged despite a run of seven without a win: "Some of the performances have been very good, with clean sheets and points in there against tough sides. There are lots of positive signs - we just need to score more goals and I think we all know that."

• He wished counterpart Roy Hodgson well after the Palace boss was admitted to hospital with illness this week: "Bigger than the game is his health and we hope he comes through that no problem. We want that more than anything."

• However, he is keen to ensure that no distractions affect his players: "When the game comes round, we have to look beyond that. It is an important game and the points are important so we know that has to be parked."

• He was asked about how the circumstances at Palace, given their own poor form and rumours of Hodgson being replaced on top of the manager's illness might affect them: "It's nothing to do with us. If it unbalances the situation at their end it's helpful but equally the other way, will they be galvanised? It is a straightforward game - we are thinking only about us."

• On whether facing the Eagles for the third time in the space of a month affects this fixture: "I don't think so particularly. No matter how much analysis you do, it is about turning performances into wins. That's the challenge for us."

• On the outcome of the club's appeal against the 10-point deduction: "It's not dragged on. We were given a very general timeline that it will probably happen in the next couple of weeks. We will wait and see."

Live commentary of Everton v Crystal Palace on BBC Radio 5 Live from 20:00 GMT

Mike Hughes
BBC Radio Merseyside reporter

Everton are facing up to what could be one of the most crucial weeks in their history, both on and off the field.

On Monday, Crystal Palace come to Goodison Park for a relegation six pointer - a win will take the Blues within two points of Palace. Conversely, anything less will ensure the Eagles maintain or extend their valuable points advantage.

The situation at Selhurst Park has become more worrying after the terrible news of Roy Hodgson becoming ill prior to his pre-match news conference for the Everton trip. Everyone in football sends their best wishes to one of the good guys for a speedy recovery.

However, for Palace chairman and co-owner Steve Parish it is difficult to navigate, with reports suggesting former Eintracht Frankfurt manager Oliver Glasner was on the verge of being appointed as Hodgson’s successor.

Meanwhile, Everton’s recent run is not particularly eye-catching. Their last Premier League win was away at Burnley two months ago.

But the bare statistics are worthy of more investigation.

Within that run they have given a reasonable account of themselves against Manchester City - twice. They have played Tottenham home and away and come away with a solitary point, when four should have been their minimum return.

Aston Villa at home was forgettable but yielded a valuable point as did the 0-0 draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage. Quite how Everton failed to win that match is one of life's great mysteries.

The one consistent factor in those matches is the lack of cutting edge. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is playing a valuable role, but is enduring the worst goalscoring drought of his career.

Everton have to discover a way of getting more goals and finding ways to win as they did during that December purple patch.

Monday could prove to be pivotal but two matters away from Goodison Park are more significant.

Everton are expecting to find out the result of their appeal against the 10-point deduction. Despite the fact various football finance experts have spoken about their confidence that there is likely to be some reduction in their points penalty. Everton fans will believe that when they see it and not before.

A decision concerning the Premier League’s approval of the takeover by 777 Partners is also believed to be imminent. The group have already lent Everton a sizeable sum of money, thought to be in the region of £150 million, just to cover the day-to-day costs.

If 777 Partners fail to pass the Premier League’s owners test, then Everton will find themselves between a rock and a hard place.

Former Everton captain Alan Stubbs has given his verdict on why the goals have dried up for Dominic Calvert Lewin.

He's been speaking to The Football News Show.

Watch the full episode on BBC iPlayer

Image source, Getty Images

Everton fans are "sick" of their appeal over a 10-point deduction being "dragged on".

That's the view of club legend Alan Stubbs as fans, players and anyone associated with the club await an outcome, which is expected soon.

Speaking on a special episode of The Football News Show all about the Toffees, Stubbs said: "There was a lot of bewilderment from a lot of people within football and outside when the initial penalty of 10 points was given.

"From Everton fans there was a lot of anger and animosity. Realistically we as Everton fans are sick of it. We're sick of how long it's getting dragged on. It's a prolonged process.

"We were told it was going to be the middle of February, and then Wednesday or today, but there is still no news."

• Watch The Football News Show here

Abdoulaye Doucoure has "become pivotal" in an Everton shirt.

That's the view of Warren Doyle from The Blue Room.

The Football News Show have aired an Everton special, with the likes of Doucoure and Dominc Calvert-Lewin scrutinised.

"Doucoure coming back, if he is fit for Monday, it is going to be crucial and we need him to stay fit," said Warren.

"When he is out of the team it is a real issue as we don't have anyone else who can do what he does."

Watch The Football News Show here

Do Everton need to find another gear or adapt how they are playing?

Warren Doyle from The Blue Room told The Football News Show that the squad depth Sean Dyche has at his disposal is a limiting factor but added: "There are times where we could be more adventurous.

"I'd love to see us be a bit more ruthless at home, a bit more selfish in front of goal. We need to start firing again, if you don't score in this league you are in trouble and that has been a weakness recently."

Watch The Football News Show's Everton special here

Here are the key facts and figures ahead of Monday's game between Everton and Crystal Palace in the Premier League.

• Following their 3-2 win at Selhurst Park back in November, Everton are looking to complete their first league double over Crystal Palace since 2004-05.

• After winning back-to-back away league games against Everton 3-2 in 2014, Crystal Palace are winless in their last eight visits to Goodison Park (D3 L5).

• Everton have drawn their last two Premier League matches at Goodison Park – they haven’t drawn three in a row at home since a run of four in January/February 2015.

• Crystal Palace have lost their last three away Premier League matches, shipping 11 goals in these games. The Eagles haven’t lost more consecutively since losing their final four away games in the 2019-20 season.

• Since a run of four consecutive Premier League wins in December, Everton haven’t won any of their last seven games (D3 L4). They have only scored four times in this run and failed to find the net in four of their last five.

• This will be Crystal Palace’s second successive Premier League match played on a Monday, after their 1-3 defeat to Chelsea last week. Indeed, it will be the Eagles’ 16th Monday fixture in the competition over the last four seasons (2020-21 to 2023-24), at least two more than any other club.

• In all competitions, Everton’s only win in their last 11 games (D5 L5) was at home against Crystal Palace in the FA Cup in January.

• Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson has never won a Premier League match at Goodison Park in 10 attempts, with five different clubs (D2 L8). The only stadium he’s managed more games at without winning is Vicarage Road (11 – three away from home, eight as manager of Watford).

• Everton manager Sean Dyche has won seven Premier League matches against Crystal Palace, only winning more against Bournemouth (8). He’s unbeaten in seven against the Eagles (W4 D3) since a 2-0 defeat with Burnley in November 2019.

Image source, Reuters

Everton go into this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures one point from safety - although they are awaiting the outcome of an appeal against a 10-point deduction for breaching financial regulations.

The Toffees host Crystal Palace on Monday, with their attention firmly on their own destiny and not focused on the results of the other teams in the bottom half of the table.

Midfielder James Garner told BBC Radio Merseyside: "We can only control what we do and that's winning at a weekend. I'm not sure what's going on in terms of the points deduction. Without that, we'd be in the middle of the table. I feel like we've had a better season than what we had last season."

Centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite added: "The main thing is just winning the game. There are plenty of games to go in the season, we've still got to play the teams around us as well. Every game is important. We've just got to take it game by game and see where it takes us."

Image source, Reuters

Jarrad Branthwaite is expected to be part of Everton's defence once more when Crystal Palace visit Goodison Park on Monday - and he will hope for a quieter game after the challenge of attempting to keep Erling Haaland at bay in his most recent outing.

Haaland scored twice late in the second half of a 2-0 win for Manchester City against the Toffees at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.

The former Carlisle defender, whose performances have been a huge positive in Everton's season, said: "He [Haaland] has had two chances and scored two goals. You can see the quality of player that he is so it's going to be a difficult day.

"And it's not just him, it's the whole team. They're just relentless with how they play. It's one of those games where you've just got to leave it now and look forward to Monday."

Midfielder James Garner told BBC Radio Merseyside: "It was unfortunate to not come away with anything. We've got to remember we were playing against one of the best teams in the world. We were in the game for 70 minutes, two little mistakes - it happens.

"But we've had a good week and we're looking forward to putting things right at home."

Barcelona have made 22-year-old Everton and Belgium midfielder Amadou Onana their main summer transfer target. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

Everton and Crystal Palace are monitoring Marseille's 23-year-old Senegal striker Iliman Ndiaye. (La Provence via Sport Witness), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Manchester United and Tottenham are pushing hardest to sign Everton's Jarrad Branthwaite, while Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid have all enquired about the 21-year-old England Under-21 centre-back. (Mail) , external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Mike Richards
Fan writer

Saturday's defensive performance drew many compliments from the football media, especially with Everton restricting the champions to zero shots on target until Erling Haaland's opening goal in the 71st minute.

The gulf between to two sides is obvious. Wage bill and transfer spend tell you exactly why.

Whether it be at Etihad Stadium or Anfield, opposition fans and managers have a belief every side should come to play open attacking football, as looking to secure a point is anti-football.

The attitude of some rival supporters is a sad indictment of where we find our national sport.

There seems to be an attitude of entitlement that exists for certain fans at some clubs, even those that were playing in the third tier of English football not too long ago.

To that worldview, it is more acceptable to - for want of a better phrase - roll over and have your belly tickled, so they can put four or five goals past you.

If you do not oblige, then you are a problem.

Nothing would give Evertonians more pleasure than to be able to watch our side take the game to Manchester City.

Unfortunately, the reality is what it is.

Contain and look to get something from the game has to be the approach, despite the dissenting entitled voices that barrage you from their lofty pedestals.

Mike Richards can be found at Unholy Trinity, external

We asked you for your thoughts on Saturday's Premier League match between Manchester City and Everton.

Here are some of your comments:

City fans

Peter: Good performance without being great, but the players believe in the process that Pep Guardiola has instilled in them. Kevin de Bruyne seems re-energised, the big man is back scoring goals and Rodri is imperious while we got a clean sheet as well. We'll need the whole squad to contribute. It's warming up nicely. Bring it on.

Usama: We were largely frustrated by a resilient Everton side. We didn't help ourselves by moving the ball really slowly. These are the sort of games where, when the moment arrives, you have to take it and up stepped Erling Haaland with two brilliant finishes to get us over the line. We need to keep building momentum with the Champions League back on Tuesday!

Pete: A dogged performance as always from Manchester City against Everton. The brilliance of Haaland earning three deserved points... in the end.

Robin: It's what we expect from just about every team that comes to us. Eleven men behind the ball at all times, 12 men if they can get away with it! It's sad that teams just want to not lose as it makes for frustrating football. That said, we are learning, albeit slowly, that it's also about stats. Many shots on target and we win. Sixty five minutes without a shot on target and life is tricky.

Everton fans

Steven: Great defensive effort and well organised. To limit City to zero shots in the first 45 minutes was impressive. Obviously we need to create more, but just look at the firepower on their bench. It’s like HSBC v Penrith Building Society (no disrespect intended).

Blue: A predictable scoreline. Playing an ageing Ashley Young against Phil Foden and a Dominic Calvert-Lewin who doesn’t score goals, it was a matter of time before Everton caved in. Not many teams will take points away to City but this Everton team held on for long periods in the game, but yet again lacked a striker to put them back in it. Another loss.

Aitch: We gave City absolutely nothing, forcing them to make the most of their shots. To be fair, the first goal was a belter and the second goal routed out one of Jordan Pickford's few weaknesses, his flexibility. A goalkeeper who can almost drop into the splits might have saved it. Jarrad Branthwaite proved his worth over and over, but ultimately it was an honourable loss.

Robert: It's such a shame that they have to resort to Sean Dyche’s boring, physical tactics. If he allowed them to play football, instead of fouling all the time, they would be better off.

Mark Chapman introduces highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League matches.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up on the action on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra match commentaries in full on BBC Sounds:

Liverpool 3-1 Burnley

Nottingham Forest 2-3 Newcastle

Image source, Reuters

Chris Bevan, BBC Sport at Etihad Stadium

It was striking to hear Everton manager Sean Dyche tell his players to be more like Manchester City striker Erling Haaland after his side's 2-0 defeat at Etihad Stadium.

The Toffees have now failed to score in four of their past five Premier League games.

While Dyche was pleased with the way his side defended against City, he felt they did not make the most of the times they got on the ball.

"I thought we were organised, I thought the discipline was good," Dyche said. "The truth of it is when you turn the ball over, can you keep it, can you ask enough questions? We didn’t.

"I spoke to them about our turnover moments. You have to keep the ball and go forward with conviction. We didn’t do that. The number of times we could have got in behind their high line and we didn’t really activate on it so that was something we were frustrated with."

While Haaland ended his wait for a goal, Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin has now gone 18 games without scoring.

"That's why he [Haaland] is who he is," said Toffees manager Sean Dyche. "He doesn't have many touches some games, but he scores. That's the key.

"I must say, his finish for the first one, there is no thought. I've been speaking to our players recently, and there's a growing thing about footballers scoring trendy goals - whippers and dippers - but he didn't think about that.

"Just score a goal, that's the trendiest thing you will ever do, and Erling showed that today - he just went 'bang'. It was good technique, he smashes it, and he wasn't worried about anything else."

Everton boss Sean Dyche speaking to BBC Match of the Day after the defeat: "I think the first goal came out of their first shot on target. They only had three shots on target so that shows our defensive side of the game. I thought we were organised, I thought the discipline was good. The truth of it is: when you turn the ball over, can you keep it? Can you ask enough questions? We didn’t.

"It is a tough place to come and they are in really good form. They can make a lot of changes from the bench, we are well aware of that. A lot of good signs from our performance, but we know those turnover moments are so important.

"The understanding from the side tactically was pleasing. I spoke to them about the turnover moments, you have to keep the ball and go forward with conviction. We didn’t do that. The number of times we could've got in behind their high line and we didn’t really activate on it, so that was something we were frustrated with.

"Top sides, and they are a top side, do what they did. They can find different ways of operating. They put you to the sword."

On watching the game away from the touchline: "It’s interesting, in a bad way. I shouldn’t have been up there in the first place. Hopefully I'm not [up there] going forward."

Here are the key facts and figures following Saturday's game between Manchester City and Everton in the Premier League.

• Manchester City have won six consecutive Premier League games for the first time since winning their first six games of the 2023-24 season, while this was just their second clean sheet in their past 13 league matches.

• Everton are now without a win in seven Premier League games (D3 L4), having won four on the bounce directly before this run, while no side has failed to score in more top-flight matches than the Toffees this season (10).

• Kevin De Bruyne’s 12 assists for Erling Haaland is the most of any Premier League player for a specific teammate in all competitions since the start of last season.

• Everton boss Sean Dyche became the 18th manager to reach 300 games in charge in the Premier League (W85 D79 L136).

• Manchester City scored with their first shot on target in this game in the 71st minute, their longest wait for an attempt on target in a Premier League match since September 2021 v Southampton (90th minute).