Everton return to Premier League action this weekend as David Moyes’ side host Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Everton drew 1-1 with West Ham United on Monday night, with David Moyes left frustrated against the Hammers.
Michael Keane put Everton 1-0 up, but Everton failed to kick on and were pegged back by Jarrod Bowen’s equaliser.
The Toffees had to settle for a draw, and Moyes will hope for better this weekend as Crystal Palace visit Merseyside.
Pundit Chris Sutton speaks during Brentford v West Ham United
Photo by Matthew Ashton – AMA/Getty Images
Chris Sutton shares Everton vs Crystal Palace prediction
Palace will pose a real threat to Everton, especially after beating Liverpool 2-1 at Selhurst Park last weekend.
Moyes faces big decisions, as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will miss the Palace clash due to a rather ridiculous suspension.
Charly Alcaraz could come into the Everton side, while Moyes must also decide whether to go with Beto and Thierno Barry in attack.
Pundit Chris Sutton has now shared his prediction for Sunday’s clash, and he is backing a Palace victory.
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Sutton believes ‘the handbrake is still on’ at Everton, and doesn’t think Moyes will go with a gung-ho approach against Palace.
Sutton did praise Moyes as a ‘clever’ manager, but fears that Everton simply don’t have the firepower to score against Palace.
The former Chelsea striker is predicting a 1-0 Palace win, even after their UEFA Conference League exploits against Dynamo Kyiv.
“This should be a good game, and a real test of whether Everton’s new ground is actually the ‘fortress’ my 606 co-host Roman Kemp describes it as,” said Sutton.
“Everton are still unbeaten there, but they’ve drawn two out of three games so far, and the handbrake is still on, isn’t it? Maybe Roman’s definition of a fortress is just different to most other people’s. There will be no gung-ho tactics here, either, because this is going to be a really tight affair between two very clever managers. But after watching Palace last week, I have to back them, really.
“Oliver Glasner’s side were quite direct against Liverpool, and it will be a good battle if they do the same here.
“I enjoy watching Everton and, in particular, Jack Grealish, but I worry about their firepower up front. If they had a goalscorer, I would probably say they would get something, but instead I am going with Palace to keep a clean sheet and to take home the points,” he added.
No easy solution to Everton striking woes
Sutton is right to highlight Everton’s goalscoring concerns, with strikers Beto and Thierno Barry both struggling.
Beto had a purple patch last season, but has scored just once in six appearances this term.
Duncan Ferguson has not been impressed with Beto, and neither have many Everton fans, with the 27-year-old looking a little limited so far this season.
The alternative is to start summer signing Barry, who has bags of potential but looks a little raw.
Neither striker appear to be the solution right now, and Moyes has been urged to consider Iliman Ndiaye up front.
That would be quite the change from Moyes and one we can’t imagine seeing this weekend, especially with Dewsbury-Hall missing.
Moyes will hope to see Beto or Barry emerge as the clear number one striker, but this situation is certainly the biggest concern heading into facing Palace.