Crystal Palace vs Everton: Premier League Showdown at Selhurst Park

Selhurst Park stages a mid-table Premier League meeting with very different emotional tones on 10 May 2026, as 15th-placed Crystal Palace host 10th-placed Everton. Safety is essentially within reach for Palace, but they are still looking over their shoulder; Everton, already in the top half, are chasing a strong finish and potentially a late push further up the table.

With referee T. Bramall in charge, this Regular Season - 36 fixture feels like a classic late-season crossroads: Palace looking to steady themselves, Everton looking to underline progress.

League context and form

In the league, Crystal Palace sit 15th on 43 points after 34 games, with a goal difference of -6 (36 scored, 42 conceded). Their recent form line of LLDWD underlines inconsistency: just one win in five, and the sense of a team edging towards the finish line rather than sprinting through it.

At Selhurst Park, Palace have been awkward rather than authoritative. Their home record in the league reads 4 wins, 8 draws and 5 defeats from 17, with only 16 goals scored and 19 conceded. Averaging 0.9 goals for and 1.1 against at home, they lean on structure and defensive resilience more than attacking flair. Seven home clean sheets from 17 underline that solidity, but they have also failed to score in 7 of those home matches – a major reason why they are not higher up the table.

Everton arrive in London in 10th place with 48 points from 35 games and a neutral goal difference (44-44). Their overall form (DLLDW) also speaks to volatility, but their season profile is more balanced: 13 wins, 9 draws, 13 defeats, scoring 44 and conceding 44 across all phases.

Away from home, Everton have been quietly effective: 7 wins, 4 draws and 6 defeats from 17, with 19 goals scored and 20 conceded. That 7-away-win tally matches Palace’s entire win count home and away, and Everton’s away goals-for average of 1.1 mirrors Palace’s home scoring rate – but with the Toffees generally more willing to open the game up.

Tactical outlook: structure vs transition

Crystal Palace’s season-long tactical identity is clear from the data. They have overwhelmingly favoured a back three: 30 matches in a 3-4-2-1 and 4 in a 3-4-3. That shape is designed to keep them compact centrally, protect the box, and release wing-backs to provide width in what is otherwise a narrow attacking structure.

The numbers back that up: only 36 goals in 34 league games across all phases, but 12 clean sheets. Palace are built to keep matches tight. Their biggest home win is 2-0, and they have never scored more than 3 in a home game this season. They are comfortable in low-scoring battles, but their lack of cutting edge has repeatedly left them relying on fine margins.

Jean-Philippe Mateta is the obvious focal point. With 10 league goals from 28 appearances and 24 starts, he is Palace’s key attacking reference. His profile is that of a classic target forward: 53 shots (30 on target) and 274 duels contested, winning 104. Palace’s wing-backs and attacking midfielders will look to hit him early, using his 192cm frame to secure territory, win flick-ons and create second-ball situations around the box. His penalty record this season is also notable: 4 penalties scored from 4 attempts, with 1 penalty won – a reliable route to goals when Palace do manage to get into the area.

Everton, by contrast, are more conventional in shape. They have lined up in a 4-2-3-1 in 21 league matches, with just one outing in a 4-3-3. That double pivot in front of the back four gives them a platform to press selectively and spring forward in transition. With 44 goals scored and 44 conceded, they are much more of a “both teams to score” side than Palace, and their biggest away win of 0-2 and biggest away defeat of 2-0 underline that they are comfortable in open or controlled games.

Everton’s away figures – 19 goals for, 20 against – suggest they will back themselves to score at Selhurst Park, but they are not reckless. Five away clean sheets point to a side that can shut games down when needed, especially against opponents who struggle to create volume.

Injuries and selection issues

Team news could heavily shape both line-ups.

For Crystal Palace, the absentee list is significant and skews towards their spine and attacking options:

• C. Doucoure – Missing Fixture (knee injury)
• E. Guessand – Missing Fixture (knee injury)
• E. Nketiah – Missing Fixture (thigh injury)
• B. Sosa – Missing Fixture (injury)

The absence of Doucoure removes a key midfield presence in front of the back three, impacting Palace’s ability to break up play and transition. Nketiah’s absence reduces options to partner or rotate with Mateta, making the Frenchman’s availability and performance even more central. Sosa’s injury may limit options at wing-back or left-sided defensive roles, which is crucial in a 3-4-2-1.

Everton also have notable issues:

• J. Branthwaite – Missing Fixture (hamstring injury)
• J. Grealish – Missing Fixture (foot injury)
• I. Gueye – Questionable (injury)
• T. Iroegbunam – Questionable (injury)

Branthwaite’s absence weakens Everton’s central defence, potentially forcing a reshuffle at the back and reducing their aerial security against Mateta. Grealish’s unavailability removes a creative and ball-carrying option in advanced areas. If Gueye and Iroegbunam are not fully fit, Everton’s midfield balance and pressing intensity could be affected, particularly in the double pivot that underpins their 4-2-3-1.

Both sides, however, retain reliable penalty takers: Palace have scored 7 of 7 penalties as a team this season, while Everton have converted 2 of 2. With Mateta 4 from 4 individually, any penalty incident could be decisive in what projects as a tight game.

Head-to-head: Everton’s edge

The last five competitive meetings between these sides (Premier League and FA Cup only, no friendlies) paint a clear picture:

1. 05 October 2025 – Premier League, Hill Dickinson Stadium: Everton 2-1 Crystal Palace (Everton win)
2. 15 February 2025 – Premier League, Selhurst Park: Crystal Palace 1-2 Everton (Everton win)
3. 28 September 2024 – Premier League, Goodison Park: Everton 2-1 Crystal Palace (Everton win)
4. 19 February 2024 – Premier League, Goodison Park: Everton 1-1 Crystal Palace (draw)
5. 17 January 2024 – FA Cup 3rd Round Replays, Goodison Park: Everton 1-0 Crystal Palace (Everton win)

Across these five, Everton have 4 wins, Crystal Palace have 0, and there has been 1 draw. Palace have failed to win any of the last five competitive meetings and have lost the last three league encounters by the same 2-1 scoreline in favour of Everton.

The verdict

Data and context point towards a finely balanced contest, but one in which Everton carry the sharper edge.

Crystal Palace’s home record and defensive structure suggest they can keep this tight, especially with a back three and a strong clean-sheet history at Selhurst Park. However, their limited goal output, reliance on Mateta, and a cluster of injuries – particularly to Doucoure and Nketiah – reduce their margin for error.

Everton’s away record (7 wins from 17), their more balanced goal profile, and a dominant recent head-to-head record all lean in their favour. Even with Branthwaite and Grealish missing, they have shown across the season that they can manage games on the road and find goals.

Expect Palace to try to slow the tempo, compress the middle of the pitch and feed Mateta early, while Everton look to use their 4-2-3-1 structure to control transitions and exploit any gaps around Palace’s wing-backs. A low- to medium-scoring game feels likely, with Everton marginally better placed to turn key moments into points.

On balance, the numbers point slightly towards Everton avoiding defeat – and a narrow away win would be entirely in keeping with both their recent visits to Selhurst Park and the broader statistical trends of this season.