Mark Lawrenson has backed Everton to beat Crystal Palace this evening.
Mark Lawrenson
Pundit Mark Lawrenson has told BBC Sport that he thinks Everton will beat Crystal Palace 2-1 at Goodison Park this evening.
Everton head into the game having lost their first league game of the season last weekend, as they were beating 1-0 away at Bournemouth.
Everton’s Yannick Bolasie celebrates
Before that, Ronald Koeman had dropped just two points in an impressive start to the campaign, and the Dutchman will be hoping for a major response from his players as they take on Crystal Palace this evening.
Winger Yannick Bolasie is one player who will certainly be looking to impress, given that he left Palace for Everton over the summer – but he faces an improving Palace side.
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew
The Eagles had endured a difficult start to the season with just one point from their first three games, but three consecutive wins over Middlesbrough, Stoke City and Sunderland have boosted Alan Pardew’s side.
A trip to Goodison Park will be a difficult task for Palace though, but is handed a boost with winger Wilfried Zaha returning from injury.
Ahead of tonight’s game, pundit Mark Lawrenson has told BBC Sport that he thinks Everton will win the game 2-1, despite Palace’s confidence being ‘sky high’ having come from 2-0 down to beat Sunderland 3-2 last weekend.
General view of Goodison Park
Lawrenson added that Everton were ‘pretty average’ against Bournemouth, but believes they will respond with a victory this evening.
“Crystal Palace have won their last three Premier League games so their confidence will be sky high,” said Lawrenson. “The fact the Eagles were in decent form already will have helped them come back from 2-0 to beat Sunderland last week. That was a game they should never have got anything from but, with half an hour to go, they still thought they had a chance.”
“Everton have also been impressive but they suffered their first league defeat under Ronald Koeman at Bournemouth last time out. The Toffees put in a pretty average performance too, and I think we will see a reaction to that here,” he added.
What’s your prediction for Everton v Crystal Palace?
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