Dewsbury-Hall and Barry seal Everton's 2-0 win over Crystal Palace on Hackney's debut

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry struck to give Everton a comfortable 2-0 Premier League victory over Crystal Palace, handing manager David Moyes a timely boost after a wretched end to last season cost the club a shot at European football.

Dewsbury-Hall broke the deadlock late in the first half, lashing home left-footed across Dean Henderson, and Barry added a downward header from five yards early in the second period to settle the contest. For Barry, it was a notably early contribution — the 23-year-old Frenchman did not score his first Everton goal until December last season, and with the club’s strikeforce managing only 18 goals across 2025-26, Moyes will have welcomed the fast start.

New signing Hayden Hackney made his Premier League debut in a holding midfield role and looked composed throughout, his quickly-taken free-kick in the build-up to Barry’s header underlining his influence. Iliman Ndiaye, who whipped in the delivery, was arguably Everton’s sharpest performer on the afternoon.

The opening exchanges had told a different story. Jean-Philippe Mateta spurned a succession of gilt-edged chances for Palace — stabbing wide from close range, striking a post, and somehow failing to hit the target from inside the six-yard area from Eddie Nketiah’s third-minute cross. Nketiah himself saw Jordan Pickford tip a shot onto the same upright, while Adam Wharton’s delightful chip created another opening that Pickford denied.

Everton’s hopes of a penalty were extinguished after a lengthy VAR review ruled Jarrad Branthwaite offside in the build-up to a foul by Jaydee Canvot.

Moyes remains publicly unhappy with the club’s transfer activity, and aside from Hackney, the starting line-up offered little that was new — midfielder Merlin Rohl was deployed at right-back in a sign of the squad’s limitations.

Palace manager Pierre Sage was without Ismaila Sarr, amid reports the winger had refused to train in order to force a move to Galatasaray. The Eagles arrive at the new season having won more silverware in the past two years — the Conference League following their FA Cup triumph in 2025 — than Everton have managed in 31 years, but their wastefulness in front of goal on Saturday left Sage with his own problems to address.