Dwight McNeil fired Everton to their first Premier League win of the season, scoring twice after they went into half-time trailing against a still-winless Crystal Palace.
Despite Everton’s rocky start, McNeil’s brace ultimately secured a crucial 2-1 victory at Goodison Park.
The anticipation among Everton fans had been palpable, fueled by optimistic news of a potential takeover by American businessman Dan Friedkin.
However, that excitement threatened to fade when the visitors took the lead through England defender Marc Guehi. Everton manager Sean Dyche, though, wasn’t about to let the momentum slip, and his decision to bring on Jack Harrison for Jesper Lindstrom turned out to be a masterstroke, as Harrison set up McNeil’s second goal.
Dyche also had reasons to celebrate with the return of defender Jarrad Branthwaite, who had missed the start of the season due to a groin injury.
But Crystal Palace got off to the brighter start, capitalizing on their early pressure. Just 10 minutes into the game, Adam Wharton whipped in a cross following a recycled corner, which Maxine Lacroix won at the far post.
The ball found its way into the six-yard box where Guehi pounced, stabbing home to claim his first goal in 16 months.
For Palace, it was a momentous occasion—surprisingly, the first time they had taken the lead in any Premier League match this season.
Their celebrations reflected the sense of relief and joy at finally breaking through.
Everton, however, looked shell-shocked and struggled to find their rhythm. Dyche was vocal from the touchline, urging his players forward, but the Toffees found it difficult to create clear chances.
Vitaly Mykolenko tested Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson from distance, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin came close with a couple of efforts, including a narrowly missed connection with a low, fizzing cross from McNeil.
The visitors thought they had doubled their lead when Eddie Nketiah’s deflected shot appeared to be heading over the line, but Ashley Young heroically cleared it away, keeping Everton’s hopes alive.
Yet, when the half-time whistle blew, Everton were still trailing, and the murmurs of discontent could be heard around Goodison Park, with a few boos ringing out.
Dyche, known for his ability to rally his troops, must have delivered an inspiring team talk, as Everton came flying out of the blocks in the second half.
Just two minutes in, McNeil took a pass from Young and curled a magnificent left-footed shot from 25 yards, sending it around Henderson and into the top corner. It was a moment of magic that restored belief among the home fans and gave McNeil his third goal of the season.
As Everton began to gain confidence, McNeil continued to cause problems for Palace’s defense.
He nearly set up Calvert-Lewin for another chance, but the striker stumbled before he could take a shot. Not to be deterred, McNeil took matters into his own hands minutes later.
Harrison delivered a perfect cross from the right, and McNeil controlled the ball, beat Nketiah, and bundled it home from close range to give Everton the lead.
Palace manager Oliver Glasner responded by making tactical changes, bringing on Senegalese winger Ismaila Sarr and switching to a back-four. Jeffrey Schlupp also entered the fray with 17 minutes remaining, as Palace tried to claw their way back into the match.
Everton, mindful of having thrown away two-goal leads in earlier matches this season, became a little anxious as the clock ticked down. Young was seen gesturing for goalkeeper Jordan Pickford to remain composed after some frantic pinball in the penalty area.
Despite the tension, Everton held firm. Abdoulaye Doucoure, making his 250th Premier League appearance, had a chance to calm the nerves but miskicked when through on goal with only Henderson to beat.
Learning from previous mistakes, Dyche decided against substituting key players like Calvert-Lewin and Iliman Ndiaye, as he had done in their late collapse against Bournemouth.
Instead, he opted to replace McNeil and Orel Mangala, preserving his team’s balance until the final whistle.
Palace made a desperate push in injury time, even sending Henderson up for a free-kick, but the goalkeeper’s header went wide, much to the relief of the home crowd.
As the final whistle blew, Goodison Park erupted in cheers. Everton had finally secured their long-awaited victory, and the tension that had filled the air throughout the game dissipated in an instant.
Meanwhile, over at the City Ground, Fulham brought Nottingham Forest’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season to an end with a gritty 1-0 win.
The match was evenly contested, with both sides separated by just a point at kick-off. However, Raul Jimenez’s second-half penalty, awarded after Murillo fouled Andreas Pereira, was enough to settle the tie.
Forest started brightly, with Taiwo Awoniyi missing an early chance and Chris Wood seeing a potential goal ruled out for offside following a VAR check in the 25th minute.
However, the absence of suspended playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White seemed to take its toll on Forest’s creativity, and they struggled to find the spark needed to break down Fulham.
With the victory, Fulham leapfrogged Forest into sixth place on 11 points, while Forest dropped to ninth with nine points.
Fulham are now unbeaten in five Premier League games, their best run since December 2020 to January 2021. Jimenez, in fine form, has scored three goals in his last three matches, continuing his excellent record against Forest with three goals in two games.
Both results provided plenty of drama, with Everton finding much-needed relief at Goodison Park and Fulham continuing their impressive early-season form at Forest’s expense.
