**Everton ended their opening-day misery with a composed 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium.**
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall broke the deadlock shortly before half-time, before Thierno Barry doubled the lead eight minutes after the restart.
The result gave Everton their first opening-day victory since 2021, ending a run of four successive defeats in which they had failed to score.
David Moyes handed Premier League debuts to Hayden Hackney and Tyrique George, while Harrison Armstrong started alongside Hackney in a youthful central midfield.
Merlin Röhl was preferred at right-back, with summer signing Brennan Johnson beginning on the bench against his former club.
Palace made the sharper start and almost went ahead inside three minutes, when Jean-Philippe Mateta fired over from Eddie Nketiah’s pass.
Jordan Pickford then made two important saves. He denied Daniel Muñoz before turning Nketiah’s side-footed effort against the post after Adam Wharton had opened Everton’s defence with a well-weighted ball over the top.
Everton gradually found their rhythm. Iliman Ndiaye forced Dean Henderson into a save, while George twice tried his luck without troubling the Palace goalkeeper.
The home side began to win possession higher up the pitch, with Armstrong and Hackney growing into the game against the more experienced pairing of Wharton and Daichi Kamada.
Everton’s pressure was rewarded in the 42nd minute.
Dewsbury-Hall found space on the edge of the Palace area and drove his finish across Henderson into the far corner. Armstrong was credited with the assist after another positive contribution from the academy midfielder.
The goal changed the mood inside the Hill Dickinson and sent Everton into the interval with a lead they had worked hard to earn.
Everton needed only eight second-half minutes to make it two.
Ndiaye found room on the left and delivered across the Palace penalty area, where Barry got in front of Chris Richards and directed the ball goalwards. His effort took a touch off the defender on its way in, but the striker’s header was on target, and the goal was awarded to him.
It was the type of typical centre-forward’s finish Everton need to see more regularly from Barry this season.
Palace manager Pierre Sage responded with a series of attacking changes. Yeremy Pino, Evann Guessand and Jørgen Strand Larsen were introduced, but Everton’s back four remained organised.
Pickford dealt comfortably with Guessand’s effort, while Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite protected the penalty area well as Palace looked for a way back into the contest.
There was a lengthy stoppage after Palace defender Chadi Riad suffered what looked a serious leg injury while attempting to block a Mykolenko cross. The defender received treatment on the pitch before being carried off on a stretcher.
Moyes introduced Beto and James Garner for Barry and Hackney with 11 minutes remaining. Johnson was then given his Everton debut in place of George.
Palace continued to have possession without creating the clear opportunity they needed to make the closing stages uncomfortable.
That will have pleased Moyes almost as much as the goals. Everton surrendered too many leads during the final weeks of last season, but there were no late alarms this time.
But this squad remains short in places, and the search for a right-back will continue.
It was, however, an encouraging first afternoon. Armstrong and Hackney held their own in midfield, Dewsbury-Hall supplied the breakthrough, and Barry began his league season with a goal.
Most importantly, Everton began with three points.
**Everton:** Pickford; Röhl, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Armstrong, Hackney; George, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Barry.
**Substitutes used:** Garner, Beto, Johnson.
**Goals:** Dewsbury-Hall 42, Barry 53.