What's happened
Everton have opened their season with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with Thierno Barry scoring a late header to seal victory as Iliman Ndiaye set up the opener and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall added a first-half strike.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- Thierno Barry has turned around his form, delivering when it mattered most for Everton.
- The cross from Ndiaye created the second-half opener; Moyes emphasises build-up play and control.
- Hayden Hackney’s debut as holding midfielder provides balance, but backline decisions and finishing quality remain questions for Palace.
- The result risks increasing tension around Palace’s reported transfer stance, with Sage under scrutiny for lack of cutting edge.
Tone and context
- Everton's win is framed as a signal of progress despite a lean transfer window.
- Barry’s late header suggests a player finding form at the right time for Moyes.
How we got here
Barry arrived last summer amid high expectations amid Everton’s rebuild. His eight goals in 38 appearances last season showed progress after a slow start and a knee for a move to European football.
Our analysis
BBC Business quotes Moyes on Barry’s build-up play; Independent notes the reaction to transfer business; The Guardian provides a match report and Palace manager’s burden.
Go deeper
- Will Barry maintain this form beyond the opening weeks of the season?
- How will Moyes address Barry’s consistency when the side faces tougher tests?
- Can Palace turn around their attack with new signings or internal reshuffles?
More on these topics
-
Everton F.C. - Football club
Everton Football Club is an English professional football club based in Liverpool that competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football.
-
David Moyes - Football coach
David William Moyes is a Scottish professional football coach and former player. He is currently the manager of Premier League club West Ham United.
-
Crystal Palace F.C. - Football club
Crystal Palace Football Club is a professional football club based in Selhurst, South London, England, who currently compete in the Premier League, the highest level of English football.
-
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall - English association football player (born 1998)
Kiernan Frank Dewsbury-Hall (born 6 September 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Premier League club Everton. Dewsbury-Hall started his career with Leicester City, joining their youth system in 2006. He signed his first professional contract in 2017, and made his senior debut in the FA Cup in 2019. He went on loan to Blackpool in 2020 and to Luton Town for the 2020–21 season. After impressing for Luton, he broke into the Leicester first-team the following season. The team was relegated in the 2022–23 season, but Dewsbury-Hall played an integral role in returning the club to the Premier League by winning the Championship, and won Leicester Player of the Season. He signed for Chelsea in the summer of 2024, and transferred to Everton the following summer.
-
Iliman Ndiaye - Footballer
Iliman Cheikh Baroy Ndiaye is a French professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for the English club Sheffield United.