How the national media reacted to Everton's 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium in their Premier League opener
Everton's Scottish manager David Moyes reacts after the English Premier League football match between Everton and Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, north west England on August 22, 2026. (Photo by PETER POWELL / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
Everton's Scottish manager David Moyes reacts after the English Premier League football match between Everton and Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, north west England on August 22, 2026. (Photo by PETER POWELL / AFP via Getty Images) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. /
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David Moyes celebrates Everton's victory over Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium (Image: PETER POWELL / AFP via Getty Images)
It was a winning start for Everton in the 2026-27 Premier League as they beat Crystal Palace 2-0 at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Goals either side of half-time from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry sealed the victory, which acted as the perfect lift after the disappointing end to last season.
With experienced midfield personnel missing, there were shaky moments in the first half, with Palace having three clear chances to open the scoring, but once the talismanic Dewsbury-Hall rifled in an unstoppable 42nd-minute shot, the Blues took control of the contest and, with the country's new Prime Minister watching on from his new seat, ultimately ran out deserved winners.
So they are the basic details of an impressive opening day success. But let's put more meat on the bones and read what our colleagues in the national media had to say about it.
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We'll start with Paul Joyce at The Times: "Having to swap his season ticket in the stands for a posh seat in the directors’ box now comes with the territory for the prime minister, Andy Burnham. Regardless of the vantage point, however, he was able to forget the stresses of running the country for one afternoon as the other passion in his life, Everton, started the season with a win over Crystal Palace.
"In order for him to take up his previous perch at Hill Dickinson Stadium, it would have meant displacing fans to put security and close protection protocols in place. Instead, he accepted the invitation to be a guest in the boardroom, sitting next to Peter Reid until Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s stunning finish just before the interval brought them to their feet.
""I spoke to the prime minister," said [David Moyes](http://David Moyes), revealing he was entertaining Andy Gray, another luminary from the team of the ‘80s, in his office before kick-off when Reid rang his old team-mate and put Burnham on the call. "I don’t think we have won in the opening game of the season since 2021 so it was important. Our points total away from home last year was fantastic. We just need to make sure that our home form is a bit more regular."
"The breakthrough, a speared strike from the left-hand side of the box that flashed across Dean Henderson, owed much to an error from the visiting team’s Daniel Munoz who was careless when dispossessed by Harrison Armstrong. Having been shown the way forward by Dewsbury-Hall, Thierno Barry then made the contest safe soon after the interval when rising highest to dispatch Iliman Ndiaye’s sublime cross.
"Barry had been, at best, fitful until then, and his rough edges will not disappear overnight, but this victory lifted the mood around Moyes after last season’s collapse when European qualification slipped through Everton’s grasp."
And here's what Dominic King made of it for The Telegraph: "This was a fixture that spelt danger. Moyes, though, has always possessed the happy knack of conjuring a performance – and result – from his team just when it mattered and lift-off for the campaign arrived at the first possible juncture, Everton ending a run of four years without an opening-day success.
"True, they could have been out of this contest before it started. Quite what would have happened if Jordan Pickford had not made a marvellous stop to thwart Eddie Nketiah in the 17th minute or Jean-Philippe Mateta had not struck a post in the 38th minute, can only be surmised.
"But surmising is pointless. Palace let Everton off the hook and were comprehensively punished, first through a left-footed drive from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall that whistled into the corner. The former Chelsea man is ready to take his performances up a level and this goal was beautifully timed.
"It came after Harrison Armstrong, a 19-year-old local boy for whom there are high expectations, showed grit and tenacity to win possession. He nudged the ball to Dewsbury-Hall to do the rest, the midfielder’s strike whizzing past Dean Henderson. "Once we got the goal, we were able to play a bit," Moyes said. "It was a brilliant save from Jordan, it really was. He’s come back from the World Cup and he looks lean, as sharp as a tack. Kiernan scored eight goals last season, we want him to get a few more."
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - AUGUST 22: Harrison Armstrong of Everton and Daichi Kamada of Crystal Palace battle for a ball during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Everton and Crystal Palace FC at Hill Dickinson Stadium on August 22, 2026 in Liverpool, United Kingdom. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)
Harrison Armstrong of Everton and Daichi Kamada of Crystal Palace battle for the ball(Image: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images))
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"Everton wanted to get a few more here, too, but they were restricted to just one more: a header from Thierno Barry, early in the second period, knocked the stuffing out of Palace and preceded an infectious smile from the French striker.
"Barry has his shortcomings, but his heart cannot be questioned and the moment he scored, nodding in from six yards after a magical cross from Iliman Ndiaye."
Over at The Guardian, Andy Hunter wrote: "Everton grew into their opening game, with the summer signings Hayden Hackney, Tyrique George and Merlin Rohl all impressing. Creativity was initially in short supply from the home side, despite George’s constant probing on the left, until Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye imposed themselves on proceedings.
"Dewsbury-Hall’s impact was worth the wait. The midfielder burst into life with a mazy run that ended with an appeal for handball when his shot hit Chris Richards. Play continued through Daniel Munoz, a possible Everton right-back target, who was dispossessed by the industrious Harrison Armstrong and left a void for Dewsbury-Hall to exploit. Receiving Armstrong’s pass, the 27-year-old swept an unstoppable, angled drive into Dean Henderson’s far corner to open the season in style for Everton.
"Munoz should have made amends when stealing in ahead of George to meet an inviting delivery from Daichi Kamada. Palace’s end product did not match the build up yet again, however, and the Colombian defender guided his header wide of the far post.
"Everton found the comfort of a two-goal lead when Ndiaye delivered a peach of a cross from the right. Barry, on a self-confessed mission to improve after a difficult debut season in the Premier League, rose between Richards and Jaydee Canvot to head past Henderson at close range."
Meanwhile, Keifer MacDonald, on duty for BBC Sport, wrote: "It has taken the best part of 12 months, but Everton are finally starting to feel at home at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
"On the eve of the new Premier League season, Blues manager Moyes likened his side's first season at their new, state-of-the-art home on the banks of the River Mersey, which produced only six wins from 19 Premier League games, to a room in a new house that only had the wallpaper up.
"But by the end of this impressive opening-day performance, which didn't come without its frights, Moyes can surely start to feel as though wins are starting to become part of the furniture of Everton's new household.
"It was far from an ideal start for Everton, who are still without a natural right-back, but the performances of Dewsbury-Hall, mixed in with a couple of magnificent saves from Pickford, were enough to help them navigate a difficult first half, in which Nketiah and Mateta struck the post for Palace.
"By the time the full-time whistle sounded on Merseyside, there was a feeling of both optimism and excitement about what this season could look like for Moyes' side if they are able to add one or two players to their squad before the window closes."
And, just in case you've missed it, **here's what our own Joe Thomas made of it for the Liverpool ECHO: "**There was a moment in the second half when the ball came into Harrison Armstrong and, under pressure, he dropped his shoulder to evade Daichi Kamada. Suddenly, the pitch opened up to the teenager and Everton were on the attack.
"In the first half, Kamada wriggled into space and looked to send Crystal Palace on a similar counter, only for Armstrong to emerge from behind him, lean into him and force the Japan international to turn towards his own goal and, eventually, to seek safety with a pass back to Dean Henderson.
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"The first goal, the key moment in this season-opening Everton win that, for the first half, could have gone either way, came from the midfielder stealing the ball from Daniel Munoz and sliding it to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who produced a lethal finish. As the rest of the stadium appealed for a penalty, Armstrong had remained attentive enough to seize the occasion.
"Those highlights were among the glimpses of the teenager's prodigious talent on an afternoon when his team needed him. With Christian Norgaard injured, James Garner only fit enough for the bench and Hayden Hackney having never played a minute in the Premier League, supporters could have been forgiven for wondering where the experience would come from on Saturday afternoon. It was provided by their youngest player.
"Armstrong will come under pressure for his place in the coming weeks but that he lasted the full match said a lot. David Moyes had the luxury of being able to share minutes around the squad after Thierno Barry doubled the lead just after the break. His belief in Armstrong’s value continued through that."