Everton 2-0 Crystal Palace: Pickford's saves outlast Palace's xG
AI-written review based on match data · How we make it
Key numbers
- xG 1.12 v 1.96: Palace had the better chances
- Pickford made 4 saves, all of Palace's 4 on target
- 42' opener worth +0.9 FN xPts
Everton led for 48 minutes
Everton opened their Premier League season with a 2-0 home win over Crystal Palace. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute and Thierno Barry added a second early in the second half, a goal that put the match out of reach. Everton were in front for 48 minutes, and Palace did not score.
Palace won the xG count, Everton won the match
The underlying numbers favoured the visitors. Palace's xG of 1.96 was well above Everton's 1.12, and their xG per shot of 0.18 was also higher. Yet all four shots on target were kept out by Jordan Pickford, which is why that expected-goals edge produced nothing on the scoreboard.
Both goals were created from midfield
Everton's goals came through midfield: Harrison Armstrong set up the first and Iliman Ndiaye the second. Ndiaye's three key passes were the most by any player on either side. Even with modest shot quality, Everton turned two of their five shots on target into goals, which was enough on the day.
The opener broke a goalless match
Dewsbury-Hall's opener was worth +0.9 FN xPts, a big lift to Everton's expected points because it broke a goalless match. Barry's second added +0.5 and, at 2-0, effectively settled it. Pickford's four saves across the match then protected that lead through to full-time.
Player of the match
Iliman Ndiaye 8.3Dominant
He led the FN Score with three key passes, an assist and two shots on target.
Ndiaye's biggest gains came in attack: three key passes, the most on either side, and the assist for Barry's goal in the 53rd minute. That pass made it 2-0, a lead Everton kept until full-time. He also made four tackles across a full 90-minute shift.
Game state
1-02-0
Everton ahead 48 min · level 42 min · Crystal Palace ahead 0 min
FN xPts — what each moment was worth
How much each moment changed that team's expected points (win 3, draw 1). A goal's value is credited 70% to the scorer and 30% to the assist.
42'
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
Goal · scorer +0.6 · assist Harrison Armstrong +0.3
+0.9
53'
Thierno Barry
Goal · scorer +0.3 · assist Iliman Ndiaye +0.2
+0.5
Everton
Expected (last two seasons) 1.4Own moments +1.4Opponent moments 0.0Time effect +0.2→ League points won 3
Crystal Palace
Expected (last two seasons) 1.3Own moments 0.0Opponent moments −1.1Time effect −0.2→ League points won 0
Expected points don't add up to a fixed total (a draw is 1 + 1), so an opponent's moment isn't simply the mirror of your loss. "Time effect" is the change as the clock runs down on a lead or a chase, and isn't credited to any player.
How FN Score and FN xPts work →
Match stats
EvertonCrystal Palace
1.12Expected goals (xG)1.96
Timeline
- 30'
Yellow
Daichi Kamada
- 42'
Goal
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall league goal #1 assist Harrison Armstrong
- 53'
Goal
Thierno Barry league goal #1 assist Iliman Ndiaye
- 55'
Sub
Eddie Nketiah → Yéremy Pino
- 55'
Sub
Daniel Muñoz → Anan Khalaili
- 63'
Sub
Jean-Philippe Mateta → Jørgen Strand Larsen
- 63'
Sub
Dwight McNeil → Evann Guessand
- 72'
Sub
Chadi Riad → Takehiro Tomiyasu
- 79'
Sub
Hayden Hackney → James Garner
- 79'
Sub
Thierno Barry → Beto
- 84'
Sub
Tyrique George → Brennan Johnson
- 90+4'
Sub
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall → Carlos Alcaraz
Category leaders
- Key passesIliman Ndiaye3
- Duels wonJames Tarkowski6/8
- DribblesTyrique George2/3
- Defensive actionsChris Richards7
- Fouls wonHayden Hackney3
#Everton#Crystal Palace#Premier League#Iliman Ndiaye#Jordan Pickford#Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall
This review was written by AI from match data (API-Football). FN Score and FN xPts are calculated by Fulltime Note using a published formula.