Report: Stunning Gallagher brace fires Eagles to Everton victory

Summary

• Ayew sees first chance saved by Pickford after set through by Edouard.

• Gallagher fires just wide from distance.

• The ball falls for Zaha in the area, but his powerful effort is parried away.

• Ayew picks out Gallagher who fires home the opener.

• HT: Palace 1-0 Everton

• Gallagher almost gets his and Palace’s second but nods inches wide.

• Edouard’s shot is blocked after a wonderful piece of control from Gallagher.

• Tomkins scores the second from close-range, after Hughes’ deep delivery.

• Rondon pulls one back after a shot deflects into his path.

• Gallagher produces a stunning curling effort in stoppage time to secure all three points.

• FT: Palace 3-1 Everton

Despite their contrasting results last weekend, Palace were the dominant side in the opening exchanges and their attacking intent belied their form after a difficult week on the road.

Jordan Ayew was the first to breach the Everton defence, as Odsonne Edouard’s scrambled the ball forwards through a row of bodies. Meeting it on the half-volley, his shot was driven low but blocked by the feet of Jordan Pickford.

Edouard was central to everything early on, and after bringing down a challenging pass he found Conor Gallagher on the edge of the area. The in-form midfielder turned away from his marker with his first touch, his second a fierce effort that only narrowly missed the top corner, with Pickford left scrambling.

The England goalkeeper was Everton’s busiest player early on, and was called into action shortly after. This time Ayew was the instigator, exchanging passes with Gallagher and driving down the right-hand side. His cross into Edouard was only partially cleared, the ball falling to Zaha inside the area; his powerful shot was parried away.

The Palace pressure kept on building. Gallagher saw a free-kick gathered by Pickford. From a short corner, he dug out a cross which led to pinball in the Everton area, Marc Guéhi eventually seeing his shot deflected just wide.

Everton grew into the game as the first-half progressed, and after half an hour produced their first meaningful foray into the Palace half. Ben Godfrey broke forwards from the left, picking out André Gomes on the edge of the area, but his first time volley was straight at Vicente Guaita.

Just before half-time however, the Eagles got the breakthrough. Wave after wave of attack prevented Everton from getting out of their own final third, as Edouard tried his luck from distance. The visitors tried to clear, but a loose ball from Demarai Gray was pounced upon by Ayew, who picked out Gallagher 12-yards out to fire home.

It was no less than Palace deserved, and 45 minutes of dominance were rewarded with the lead at the break.

There was no change in their attacking ambition after the restart, and Gallagher almost got his second of the afternoon, nodding Zaha’s cross inches wide. Moments later he turned provider, producing a wonderful piece of control to bring down Guéhi’s diagonal pass in the area, but Edouard’s subsequent effort was blocked.

The midfielder was proving impossible to track for the Everton back-four, and he latched onto Ayew’s scooped pass after finding space in the area, but was denied from the angle when pulling back for Edouard may have been the better option.

Much as in the first-half, the pressure eventually told. After their recent trouble from set-pieces, it was from a corner that Palace scored their second – something which will mightily please Patrick Vieira and his coaching staff.

Hughes’ delivery was deep towards the far-post, where Tomkins lurked unmarked three-yards out. There, he brought the ball down and poked home, with Pickford helpless.

The second goal sparked a response from the visitors, and soon they were back within one. It came courtesy of a substitute, Solomon Rondon in the right place at the right time as the ball was deflected into his path a yard out. It was cruel on Palace, but meant game on.

There was the chance for a leveller when Andros Townsend was picked out on the edge of the area with Guaita scrambling for position, but a body in red and blue was there to block behind.

Palace regained control in the final period, as the game became more scrappy – Andy Madley had his work cut out to maintain control of proceedings.

Then, in a spectacular final flourish, Gallagher provided the highlight of the afternoon. Winning the ball back on the edge of the area, he curled a sumptuous effort past Pickford and into the top corner, sending the Holmesdale into raptures and securing all three points for Crystal Palace.

It was a moment of pure beauty to cap what had become something of a war of attrition, and saw the Eagles return to winning ways in deserved fashion.

Palace: Guaita (GK), Ward, Tomkins, Guéhi, Mitchell (Clyne, 90), Kouyaté, Hughes (Schlupp, 73), Gallagher, Zaha, Edouard (Benteke, 73), Ayew.

Subs not used: Butland (GK), Olise, Eze, Mateta, Kelly.

Everton: Pickford (GK), Holgate, Keane, Richarlison (Rondon, 58), Delph (Gordon, 58), Gray, Townsend, Doucouré, Gomes, Godfrey, Coleman.

Subs not used: Begovic (GK), Kenny, Iwobi, Gbamin, Brenthwaite, Simms, Onyango.