What a start to the half. The final ball was lacking, the hunger in front of goal was lacking, not any more.

Crystal Palace are suddenly galloping forward with intent we have not seen all day.

Yohan Cabaye floats a diagonal cross in... Christian Benteke... big chance... headed inches wide.

Leon Osman
Former Everton midfielder on Final Score

It's very clever from Oumar Niasse - it looks like he's tried to head it into one corner, and it's gone in the other. It's sloppy again from Crystal Palace, Cuco Martina has far too much time on the ball, and he dinks it in to Niasse, who is totally unmarked.

Pat Nevin
Ex-Chelsea winger on BBC Radio 5 live

Everyone in blue is now playing with confidence. It's amazing what a couple of goals do.

Crystal Palace respond well and Patrick van Aanholt hangs a cross up. Alexander Sorloth is adjudged to have pushed his marker though. His header across goal had drawn a superb defensive header by Wayne Rooney in the goalmouth.

Pat Nevin
Ex-Chelsea winger on BBC Radio 5 live

You can tell Sam Allardyce has had an impact on the team. They were slow and predictable at the end of the first half. Now they are lively.

Pat Nevin
Ex-Chelsea winger on BBC Radio 5 live

It was noticeable Sam Allardyce was telling them at the end of the first half to get the ball forwards. They have come out and he must have had a word because Pickford rushed to send that ball upfield.

We are back at it then. Everton have lost two of their back four already. Crystal Palace have something to attack.

A blow for Everton as Seamus Coleman is not coming back out for the second half. It will be Jonjoe Kenny who comes in at right-back.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is warming up for the home side, as is Yannick Bolasie.

Everton need something more as they didn't look like they could muster a moment of ingenuity in that first half.

Good news for Palace fans, your new boy Alexander Sorloth is putting in a shift. He's playing up front but as his touch map shows, he's working back down the left flank defensively. He's had more touches than any Palace player - 34.

Image source, .

We saw good long-range efforts from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Yohan Cabaye and of course there was that Christian Benteke header late in the half. Other than that a goal has looked unlikely.

That's the first half for you. Everton edging it but the final ball or moments of creativity have been lacking.

Image source, .

Pat Nevin
Ex-Chelsea winger on BBC Radio 5 live

There have been hints of a hope of possible excitement but not a lot so far.

Theo Walcott has looked good. As for Palace, generally it's been route one.

Not vintage.

Pat Nevin
Ex-Chelsea winger on BBC Radio 5 live

The quality has just not been there so far.

There have been periods in this game in the last 10 or 15 minutes where it's the quietest I've heard a ground this year.

Everton's fans want to be convinced and they haven't been yet.

There will be two added minutes.

Now, do Crystal Palace sense blood?

Everton have had to shake up their defence given the injury to Eliaquim Mangala and a ball crossed in allows Christian Benteke to head just wide.

That's the best effort of the half.

Postpublished at 43 mins

43 mins

Everton 0-0 Crystal Palace

Eliaquim Mangala is in trouble. He was in the mixer for that last opportunity and took a whack. He's tried carrying on but it's not happening. Ashley Williams strips off.