LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 22: Thierno Barry of Everton celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Everton and Crystal Palace FC at Hill Dickinson Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by
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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 22: Thierno Barry of Everton celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Everton and Crystal Palace FC at Hill Dickinson Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by
Thierno Barry scored in Everton's comfortable 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace to give manager David Moyes one less thing to worry about – for now.
The Frenchman took until December last season to score his maiden goal for the club but with no reinforcements for a strikeforce – together with Beto – which netted only 18 goals in 2025-26, an early breakthrough for the 23-year-old was a welcome boost for Moyes, who is less than happy with the club’s transfer business.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall had made the breakthrough late in the first half as Everton celebrated season ticket-holder Andy Burnham’s first visit as Prime Minister with a morale-boosting victory after last term’s final seven games without a win cost them a chance of a return to European football.
There was little freshness in terms of Moyes’ starting line-up, aside from new signing Hayden Hackney in the holding midfield role, with midfielder Merlin Rohl filling the troublesome right-back slot.
And there was a familiar feeling to the opening 38 minutes as Jean-Philippe Mateta stabbed wide the kind of close-range chance he would usually bury and also hit a post – the same upright Eddie Nketiah saw Jordan Pickford acrobatically tip his shot onto.
But the momentum changed when Dewsbury-Hall lashed home left-footed across Dean Henderson and the second half was a completely different story.
Barry’s downward header from five yards came from greater urgency on the ball, which saw Hackney’s quickly-taken free-kick whipped in with very little fuss by Iliman Ndiaye.
Ndiaye looked the sharpest and Hackney appeared composed enough on his Premier League debut but there are still a number of issues for the Everton boss to address.
So too his Palace counterpart Pierre Sage, who was without Ismaila Sarr amid rumours he had refused to train in order to push through a move to Galatasaray.
Palace have won more trophies in the last two seasons – having added the Conference League to the FA Cup in 2025 – than Everton have in the last 31 years, and with better finishing it could have been them easily winning 2-0.
IPSWICH, ENGLAND - AUGUST 22: Jack Clarke of Ipswich Town celebrates after scoring his team's winning goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Ipswich Town and Sunderland at Portman Road on August 22, 2026 in Ipswich, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mark Leech/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
IPSWICH, ENGLAND - AUGUST 22: Jack Clarke of Ipswich Town celebrates after scoring his team's winning goal during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Ipswich Town and Sunderland at Portman Road on August 22, 2026 in Ipswich, United Kingdom. (Photo by Mark Leech/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Jack Clarke fired newly-promoted Ipswich to an opening-day victory with a 90th-minute winner to down old club Sunderland 2-1.
A new era at Portman Road got under way with Gary O'Neil in the dugout for a competitive fixture for the first time since he replaced long-serving boss Kieran McKenna in June and with six full debutants on display.
It had been a busy summer for Ipswich with 12 signings made in an attempt to follow in the footsteps of opponents Sunderland, who finished seventh on their own return to the top-flight in the 2025-26 campaign.
This first day fixture looked set to finish all square after Nilson Angulo produced a superb 39th-minute free kick for the Black Cats to cancel out Emersonn’s opener after 24 minutes following excellent play from Julio Enciso.
Substitute Clarke had other ideas and made the most of Omar Alderete’s wayward pass on the stroke of full-time to curl into the bottom corner to send Portman Road into pandemonium after they witnessed only a second Premier League home win in 24 years.
Sunderland almost taught the new boys a lesson after four minutes when Trai Hume was given too much time and played in Brian Brobbey, but Leif Davis got back to make a crucial block for Ipswich.
A shaky moment on the ball for debutant Kjell Scherpen in goal followed soon after before O’Neil watched his new-look team settle down.
Emersonn had provided an indicator of his prowess with an early header which caused Robin Roefs trouble and marked his first start with a goal in the 24th minute, but it was all about Enciso.
Ex-Brighton forward Enciso had impressed during a six-month loan at Town last year and provided the first of potentially several highlights this season when he intercepted Luke O’Nien’s pass, dribbled past the centre-back and Dan Ballard before he squared for team-mate Emersonn to slide home.
With half-time in sight, the sucker-punch for Ipswich arrived in the 39th minute when Granit Xhaka won a free-kick on the edge of the area and Angulo produced a magnificent effort over the wall and in via the crossbar.
It ensured it was 1-1 at half-time, but Ipswich returned after the break with renewed purpose and Abdul Fatawu twice almost created a second goal.
Both managers shuffled their pack in search of a winner and Clarke provided it when Sunderland substitute Alderete gave the ball away and Sasa Lukic passed into Clarke, who cut inside and fired beyond Roefs to help Ipswich start with a bang.
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - AUGUST 22: Harry Wilson of Leeds United celebrates after winning the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Leeds United at City Ground on August 22, 2026 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - AUGUST 22: Harry Wilson of Leeds United celebrates after winning the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Leeds United at City Ground on August 22, 2026 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Neal Simpson/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)
Anton Stach's late free-kick saw Leeds kick off their Premier League campaign with a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest.
Stach curled in from the edge of the area in the 88th minute as Daniel Farke’s men recorded their first victory at the City Ground since 1972.
It was a smash-and-grab win from the Yorkshire club, who had seen Forest miss a number of chances to go in front, with Nikola Milenkovic hitting a post and Igor Jesus wasting two headers.
Forest have ambitions of a top-half finish this season under new boss Oliver Glasner, but it was all very reminiscent of last term.
There were no new signings in the starting XI and the failure to put the ball in the back of the net was costly.
Leeds, who are also looking to be upwardly mobile after last season’s flirtation with relegation, got the upper hand ahead of Tuesday’s rematch in the Carabao Cup.
After a dull opening, Forest almost took the lead in the 16th minute.
Igor Jesus got to Ola Aina’s long throw, but James Trafford was equal to the header, making a stretching save.
The hosts then had their hearts in their mouths when Aina’s tackle on James Justin survived a VAR check for serious foul play.
The officials were again on Forest’s side soon after in the 25th minute when Harry Wilson tucked home, but he was correctly ruled offside.
The hosts began to take control and came even closer to taking the lead in the 40th minute.
James McAtee’s delivery was perfect for Milenkovic, whose glancing header hit a post and Jesus was unable to convert the rebound.
Forest continued to cause trouble with balls into the box and Igor Jesus got his header all wrong from another Aina cross, heading down and over from close range early after the resumption.
Chris Wood came off the bench and soon had a good chance as Murillo’s through ball sent him through, but the New Zealand striker dragged his shot wide.
It had been one-way traffic, but Leeds also threatened with deliveries into the box as Matz Sels was forced into a flying save to keep out Tarik Muharemovic’s header.
Forest created more danger in the box, with Trafford tipping a looping effort from Milenkovic onto the crossbar.
But their inability to put the ball into the back of the net cost them in the 88th minute.
Stach lined up a free-kick on the corner of the penalty area and his low effort got past Sels at the near post to send the travelling Leeds fans wild.