Crystal Palace vs Everton: Match preview for FA Cup 3rd round clash

An all-Premier League encounter will take place at Selhurst Park when Crystal Palace host a battling Everton side in the third round of the Emirates FA Cup. 

As of the end of 2023, Palace and Everton find themselves closely positioned in the top-flight standings, with Palace in 14th place and Everton just above the relegation zone in 17th place, separated by only three places and five points.

Both teams aim to improve their performance in this season’s competition, aiming to surpass last season’s efforts where they were respectively eliminated in the third round by Southampton and Manchester United who were last year’s finalists in the competition.

Palace experienced a challenging period with an eight-game winless run in the Premier League but ended the year on a positive note, coming from behind to defeat Brentford 3-1 at Selhurst Park. Goals from Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze secured three much-needed points, easing the pressure on manager Roy Hodgson.

The Eagles currently lie in the 14th position, have not only secured a six-point buffer from the relegation zone but have also widened the gap by gaining three points on five out of the six teams positioned below them in the table.

Ahead of their upcoming Premier League encounter against Arsenal on January 20, Palace are set to shift their focus to the FA Cup as they look to build momentum for their next London Derby

In recent seasons, their journey in this competition has been a mix of triumphs and eliminations, with exits from the third round in four of the last six years but a notable semifinal appearance in 2021-22.

Interestingly, the Eagles have encountered Everton in the FA Cup on six previous occasions, progressing only twice. However, in their most recent cup clash in March 2022, they emphatically thrashed the Toffees 4-0 on home turf.

While The Toffees appeared to be on an upward trajectory with seven wins in nine matches across all competitions leading into the festive period, their year-end performance took a downturn. Ending 2023 with four consecutive defeats in a 12-day span, conceding nine goals in the process, marked a challenging phase.

The setbacks included a penalty-shootout loss at home against Fulham in the EFL Cup, followed by three consecutive Premier League defeats. Notably, the disappointing 3-0 loss to Wolverhampton Wanderers saw the Toffees fail to register any of their 10 shots on target. Sean Dyche’s squad currently sits in 16th place in the Premier League, just one point above the relegation zone, with Luton having a game in hand.

The upcoming top-flight fixture schedule poses a formidable challenge for Everton, with matches against Aston Villa, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester City in their next four outings.

As they gear up for a break from Premier League action to face Palace in the FA Cup, it’s worth noting that success in this competition against top-flight opposition has been elusive for the Toffees. They have lost seven of their last nine such ties, including all four away from home during this run.

Despite Everton’s recent struggles in the FA Cup in London, going winless in their last 12 games, their upcoming clash against Crystal Palace offers a glimmer of hope. The Toffees have a favorable track record against Palace, winning three and drawing one of their last four meetings. Their most recent encounter resulted in a 3-2 victory at Selhurst Park in November, so those with Everton tickets will be quietly confident heading into this game.

Having experienced a Carabao Cup exit last month with a penalty shootout defeat to Fulham, Everton are keen to avoid a similar fate in the FA Cup third-round clash when they face The Eagles.

It’s worth noting that the replay provision is in effect until the completion of the fourth round, eliminating the possibility of a penalty shootout if the match ends in a draw.

Match details

• Date: Thursday 4 January
• Location: London, England
• Venue: Selhurst Park
• Kick-off time: 20:00 GMT
• Referee: Christopher Kavanagh
• VAR: Craig Pawson

Match stats

Crystal Palace have allowed two or more goals in four of their previous five home matches.

The Eagles have shown an assertive start by opening the scoring in their past two matches at Selhurst Park.

In four of Crystal Palace’s last five home games, both teams found the back of the net.

Crystal Palace secured victories in three of their past four FA Cup home matches.

The last trio of FA Cup encounters at Selhurst Park witnessed more than two goals each.

Despite reaching the FA Cup finals twice (1989/90 and 2015/16), Crystal Palace fell short of claiming the trophy, facing defeats against Manchester United in those respective years.

Everton, having clinched the FA Cup five times, faced setbacks in seven FA Cup finals, with their latest triumph dating back to 1995.

Although Everton have struggled in their last 12 FA Cup fixtures in London, their recent performance against Palace have been positive, winning three and drawing one of their last four meetings, including a 3-2 victory at Selhurst Park in November.

Team news

Roy Hodgson’s side faces concerns regarding the fitness of key winger Michael Olise, who exhibited signs of a muscular issue towards the conclusion of the victory over Brentford last Saturday.

In terms of long-term injuries, Cheick Doucoure (Achilles) and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (thigh) continue to be absent. Meanwhile, the return of Sam Johnstone (calf), Rob Holding (ankle), and Joel Ward (thigh) is anticipated later this month.

Odsonne Edouard, recuperating from a knee injury, made a return to the substitutes’ bench in the previous weekend. The striker is set to contend with Jean-Philippe Mateta for a starting role against Everton. Additionally, players like Will Hughes, Jeffery Schlupp, Jairo Riedewald, and Matheus Franca are eager to secure a spot in the starting eleven.

On the Everton side, Ashley Young (both unspecified), and Dele Alli (groin) remain sidelined, while Abdoulaye Doucoure (thigh) is doubtful and faces a pre-match assessment.

Idrissa Gueye is set to join with Senegal squad for the African Cup of Nations.

Following Wolverhampton Wanderers’ effective exploitation of Everton’s three-man backline, manager Sean Dyche is likely to revert to a four-man defense against Crystal Palace. This adjustment could involve either Michael Keane or Jarrad Braithwaite making way for a midfielder.

Depending on a late fitness test, Andre Gomes or Doucoure might partner with James Garner and Andre Onana in midfield. Upfront, Beto, Arnaut Danjuma, Lewis Dobbin, and Youssef Chermiti are among the attacking options vying for a starting role.

Predicted starting line-up

Crystal Palace predicted starting XI: Henderson; Nathaniel, Joachim, Guehi, Mitchell; Lerma, Hughes, Eze, Shlupp; Mateta, Ayew

Everton predicted starting XI: Pickford; Coleman, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko, Harrison, Garner,  Onana, McNiel; Danjuma Beto

Prediction

In their recent encounter at Selhurst Park just two months ago, both Palace and Everton engaged in a thrilling five-goal contest. However, the upcoming fixture on Thursday might witness a more closely contested affair, especially if both teams opt for substantial changes in their lineups.

While Everton have enjoyed success against Palace in recent meetings, The Eagles carry higher spirits into this clash following their recent Premier League victory. This positive momentum might see them do enough to secure a share of the spoils to hold the advantage going into the second leg.

Palace also boast the attacking threats of Olise and Eberechi Eze, players whose creativity and attacking output could be a consistent threat to The Toffees in this encounter. This makes Hodgson’s side a formidable attacking proposition, albeit one that may expose itself more defensively.

Similarly, Everton have experienced a similar trend this season – generating numerous scoring opportunities but concurrently leaving defensive vulnerabilities.

This suggests the likelihood of a goal-laden encounter, emphasizing that the team with the more resilient defense could emerge victorious.