Hello and welcome back to another episode of Monday Night Football with CM9798. This week we’ll be butchering Saturday’s midday kick-off, Everton vs. Crystal Palace match. You voted, there was 6% in it:

Last week we were not far away as Tottenham beat Man City 2-0, as opposed to our predicted 3-2.

But back to the action. Without a glance at the table, you’d think Everton were having another season below expectations, but they sit 4 points away from an unlikely Europa League place. It’s possible Roy still doesn’t know what he’s doing here as Palace have failed to win since Boxing Day.

Line-ups:

Ancelotti will probably stick with what has been working and an attack minded 4-4-2 looking to capitalise on the poor form and confidence of Palace.

Meanwhile, Roy will probably stick to his guns as ever in a 4-3-3 with maraudering full backs either making or breaking his sides fortunes.

Kick-off:

It’s a lively opening period at Goodison as Tomkins launches it up the wing for van Aanholt to gallop after and he perfectly executes a ‘cute’ finish beyond Pickford. Between, Calvert-Lewin, in as creative a streak as ever made 3 chances for himself but squandered them all. Eventually Guaita hauled him down but he sent the penalty into orbit.

Sigurdsson and Calvert-Lewin working their socks off for Everton to no avail.

A spread of largely self-made chances from Palace’s attacking players.

Second Half:

The second half begins with both sides attacking at will, Palace despite the man less posing much more of a threat. Zaha slipped McCarthy in cutting Pickford out to finish into an empty net. Calvert-Lewin has a second penalty shout turned down by the linesman late on.

In the end, Calvert-Lewin’s failures belonged to Everton. A far cry from what we’re seeing at present.

A well marshalled midfield of the three M’s gives Palace a most unlikely of victories.

In the end, the stats say an exciting game that should have seen more goals. Roy would be delighted with this outcome at the weekend, but I’m sure Ancelotti would be left scratching his head. Here at CM9798 towers, we’re very doubtful of this prediction.

Back in Time:

We go back in time as usual to a match that actually took place as a season opener on the 9^th of August 1997 that Palace won 2-1.

The Result:

We almost ended in the same result, but, thanks to multiple heroics of Thomas Myhre (it was actually Big Nev in the fixture) and a goal from a young John Oster it turned out a draw.

So there we have it, we’ve had another close result last week but it will take a lot for this weeks outcome to be right! I hope you’ve enjoyed Monday Night Football and that we see you back again soon.