Everton and Crystal Palace are meeting in the first Premier League game of the season again, and the opening-day record between the clubs gives the fixture an extra layer of interest. Crystal Palace are unbeaten in the two previous season-openers between the sides, winning 2-1 at Goodison Park in 1997-98 and 3-2 at Goodison Park in 2014-15.
This time, the setting is different but the pressure is familiar. Everton lost their opening game and failed to score in it, extending a difficult run that has seen them fail to win any of their final seven Premier League games. They will also be trying to end a four-season losing run in their first league game, which makes the early weeks of the campaign feel especially important.
What the opening-day record says
The teams have already met once before in a Premier League season opener at Selhurst Park, when they drew 0-0 in 2019-20. So while Crystal Palace have the edge in the opening-day head-to-head, the fixture has not always produced a clear winner.
There is also recent context on both sides that makes this game worth watching. Everton had the lowest average possession among non-relegated teams in the Premier League in 2025-26, while Crystal Palace posted the third-lowest average possession. That suggests neither side is likely to dominate the ball for long spells, which could make the first goal particularly valuable.
First league match for Pierre Sage
Crystal Palace are also beginning a new managerial chapter, with Pierre Sage taking charge of the club for the first time in a Premier League match. That adds another storyline to a game that already comes with some unusual history.
New managers can bring a short-term lift, but the opening match also tends to reveal how quickly a team is adjusting to fresh ideas. Palace will know that from previous transitions: Alan Pardew won his first Crystal Palace Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur in January 2015, while Oliver Glasner won his first Palace league game against Burnley in February 2024.
For Everton, the broader backdrop is just as clear. David Moyes last went longer without a Premier League win with Sunderland in April 2017, which underlines how rare a long barren run can become. Everton will hope to avoid that kind of extended frustration early in the season, especially after finishing 2025-26 without a victory in their final seven league games.
Crystal Palace may also draw confidence from the fact that 53% of their Premier League points in 2025-26 came away from home. That does not guarantee anything here, but it does suggest they have been comfortable handling difficult road environments.
The history says Palace tend to start well against Everton. The current form says both sides have clear early-season questions. That combination makes Everton Vs Palace an opener with more weight than the calendar would usually suggest.
