Everton started their opening Premier League fixture with a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium, and the ratings put Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall at the centre of it. His 9/10 led the way, while Harrison Armstrong and Iliman Ndiaye both earned 8/10 in a game shaped by decisive moments rather than control.
Dewsbury-Hall set the tone
The first goal came on 42 minutes, and the move started with Armstrong’s work to pick out Dewsbury-Hall. The midfielder burst into life late in the first half, put a chance on a plate for Thierno Barry and then finished the job himself with a shot across goal.
That is why the 9/10 feels fair. Dewsbury-Hall did not just score Everton’s opener, he kept pushing and prompting throughout the match, which is the kind of influence managers want on opening day.
Pickford and Everton’s key moments
Before Everton settled, Jordan Pickford kept the game level with a sharp early save. He tipped Eddie Nketiah’s effort onto his left-hand post, and Jean-Philippe Mateta later hit the same upright.
Ndiaye’s role also mattered once Everton began to move into better areas. He delivered the lofted right-wing cross for Barry’s header on 53 minutes, and that assist helped round out a display that fit his 8/10 rating.
David Moyes will be pleased with the mix of impact and resilience, especially from Armstrong. The home-grown midfielder’s 8/10 reflected his ball-winning and the cross that set up Dewsbury-Hall’s goal. Everton did not need long stretches of dominance to beat Palace, just the right interventions at the right moments.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
