Match ends, Everton 1, Crystal Palace 1.
EvertonEverton1Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace1
Romelu Lukaku scored his sixth goal in five league games to equalise with a late strike in an entertaining match against Crystal Palace.
Poor Everton defending allowed Scott Dann to head Palace in front late on as the Londoners looked on course to win.
But Lukaku - who had twice struck the woodwork - tapped in Gerard Deulofeu's low cross from two yards for a deserved point for the dominant hosts.
Palace's Jordon Mutch sent a shot wide as both sides searched for a winner.
The draw was still enough to move Palace to sixth on goal difference, though manager Alan Pardew will be disappointed that his team only held their lead for five minutes, to drop points from a winning position for the first time this season.
But Everton dominated possession and, in the second half in particular, were adventurous and easy on the eye.
Read reaction from the draw between Everton and Palace.
5 live Football Daily podcast: 'We've made Lukaku a better player'
Everton's fab four shine
Everton boss Roberto Martinez has boasted he has some of the most valuable young talent in Europe at his disposal and the Spaniard's highly-prised quartet strengthened the manager's claim with their performances against Palace.
Record signing Lukaku, Ross Barkley, John Stones and Gerard Deulofeu - aged 22, 22, 21 and 21 respectively - were authoritative and influential, as they have been all season.
Lukaku's power posed Palace problems, with the post denying him a first-half goal and the crossbar stopping him from equalising straight after Palace took the lead.
Barkley and Deulofeu were inventive, with the latter's sublime second-half free-kick forcing Connor Wickham to head a defensive header onto his own crossbar, while it was former Barcelona prodigy Deulofeu who again provided the assist to his ruthless team-mate.
At the back, Stones anticipated play brilliantly and, as has become routine this campaign, had the confidence and guile to glide out of defence and even pose a threat in the final third - a quick turn in the box followed up by a dangerous cross was a particular highlight.
Martinez has said a Champions League place is the club's aim this season and he certainly has four players who, on current form, would be at ease facing Europe's elite.
Man of the match - Lukaku
Only Jamie Vardy, the Premier League's top scorer with 14, has scored more league goals than the £28m Lukaku, while he is on course to become the first Everton striker to score more than 20 league goals since Gary Lineker in 1985-86
The Belgian has consistently been a threat, missing only 39 minutes of action this campaign, and was a menace against Palace before levelling with his 50th goal in a century of Everton appearances.
Martinez describe his striker as sensational, adding: "He is always there to give us a focal point and score goals.
"It was a big moment. One hundred games is a landmark and 50 goals is a remarkable return. He is in a very good moment of his career. He is vital in everything we are trying to do."
Palace at home on the road
Palace have already picked up more points away from home than at Selhurst Park this season and, having thrashed Newcastle 5-1 at home in their previous league outing, are a team in form.
But their sporadic attacks mainly came on the counter-attack against Everton and a Wickham header at the near post, which forced a fine save from Tim Howard, was the closest they came to scoring before Dann gave his team the lead against the run of play.
It had been all Everton after the break before the defender got the better of the static Gareth Barry and Arouna Kone at a corner to score with a simple header, for his second goal at Goodison in three seasons.
But Palace must be praised for holding firm when under pressure, with such stoicism illustrating why they have been successful on the road. Since Pardew took charge in January, the Eagles have collected 31 points away from home with only Arsenal of the Premier League's clubs amassing more.
Palace argued for a penalty when Barry tugged on Mile Jedinak's shirt, but Pardew believed a draw was a fair result.
"If we could have seen that five minutes out after our goal, it might have been different, but all credit to Everton - they kept coming and we are really pleased with a draw as it takes us sixth and with a home game to come," said the Eagles boss.
The stats you need to know
- Crystal Palace have lost just one of their last five Premier League games against Everton (W2 D2 L1).
- Crystal Palace have scored the highest proportion of goals from set-pieces this season in the Premier League (45%).
- Belgian striker Lukaku has scored in each of his last three Premier League appearances against Crystal Palace.
- Crystal Palace have won more points away at Everton (13) in the Premier League than they have away at any other team.
- Scott Dann has scored in back-to-back Premier League away appearances - both coming in Merseyside (v Liverpool and Everton).
What next?
Everton, unbeaten in seven games, will be confident of extending their run should they continue to perform with such assurance against their next three opponents - Norwich (away on Saturday at 12:45 GMT), Leicester (home) and Newcastle (away). Crystal Palace, meanwhile, host Southampton on Saturday (15:00 GMT) before travelling to Stoke.
Line-ups
Everton
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 24Howard
- 23Coleman
- 5Stones
- 25Funes MoriBooked at 88mins
- 32GallowaySubstituted forBainesat 62'minutes
- 15Cleverley
- 18Barry
- 19Deulofeu
- 20Barkley
- 9Koné
- 10Lukaku
Substitutes
- 1Robles
- 3Baines
- 4Gibson
- 11Mirallas
- 12Lennon
- 14Naismith
- 21Osman
Crystal Palace
Formation 4-3-3
- 13Hennessey
- 2Ward
- 6Dann
- 27Delaney
- 23Souaré
- 18McArthurBooked at 87mins
- 15Jedinak
- 7CabayeSubstituted forMutchat 77'minutes
- 10Bolasie
- 21WickhamBooked at 53minsSubstituted forGayleat 77'minutes
- 42Puncheon
Substitutes
- 1Speroni
- 8Bamford
- 9Campbell
- 16Gayle
- 22Mutch
- 29Chamakh
- 34Kelly
- Referee:
- Craig Pawson
- Attendance:
- 35,736
Match Stats
Home TeamEvertonAway TeamCrystal Palace
- Possession
- Home62%
- Away38%
- Shots
- Home19
- Away14
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away5
- Corners
- Home13
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home4
- Away11
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Everton 1, Crystal Palace 1.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Arouna Koné (Everton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Tom Cleverley.
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Attempt missed. Jordon Mutch (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
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Attempt blocked. Tom Cleverley (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Attempt missed. Ross Barkley (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
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Offside, Crystal Palace. Jordon Mutch tries a through ball, but Yannick Bolasie is caught offside.
Booking
Ramiro Funes Mori (Everton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Ramiro Funes Mori (Everton).
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Yannick Bolasie (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Booking
James McArthur (Crystal Palace) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Tom Cleverley (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by James McArthur (Crystal Palace).
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Attempt blocked. Yannick Bolasie (Crystal Palace) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
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Offside, Crystal Palace. Pape Souaré tries a through ball, but Yannick Bolasie is caught offside.
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Romelu Lukaku (Everton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Joel Ward (Crystal Palace).
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Foul by Seamus Coleman (Everton).
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Dwight Gayle (Crystal Palace) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Goal!
Goal! Everton 1, Crystal Palace 1. Romelu Lukaku (Everton) right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Gareth Barry.
