Crystal Palace and Everton are set to compete in a crucial match tonight at Goodison Park, the venue living its final months. Both teams are struggling in the Premier League, with Sean Dyche’s team occupying the 18th position and enduring a seven-game winless streak. The Toffees are also battling for survival and need a victory to bring them within just two points of Palace, especially since they defeated the Eagles in an FA Cup replay just a month ago.In their recent match against Chelsea, Palace showed a more positive performance but unfortunately came away with nothing after conceding two late goals. Bed-ridden Roy Hodgson and his squad have managed only two wins in their last 13 league matches. However, amidst rumours of Hodgson’s probable departure, he was hospitalized after falling ill during training on Thursday and will not be involved in tonight’s match. Assistant coaches Paddy McCarthy and Ray Lewington will take charge while Oliver Glasner awaits to take charge.Roy Hodgson. A much-admired football manager, and an opera lover! ⚽🎶 pic.twitter.com/2HfY2BZSfC— Classic FM (@ClassicFM) February 15, 2024 Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure has returned to training following a hamstring injury, potentially making him available for the match. Ben Godfrey is also fit after recovering from a sickness bug. However, Arnaut Danjuma and Andre Gomes remain sidelined with ankle and calf injuries, respectively.Palace’s Marc Guehi is nearing a return from a knee problem but is unlikely to feature tonight. Meanwhile, Michael Olise, Eberechi Eze, and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi are still out with hamstring injuries.##NAJAVA_MECA_7881165##In their previous encounters this season, Everton secured victories over Crystal Palace in both the reverse fixture and an FA Cup third-round replay. They hope they can make it a hat-trick of wins, considering the Eagles have struggled in recent visits to Goodison Park, failing to win in their last eight trips. It would be a welcome win for the Toffees, who are currently on a seven-match winless streak in the league, their longest such run this season. They’ve failed to score in four of their last five league games. Everton’s striker, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, scored his 50th Premier League goal for the club against West Ham in late October. However, he hasn’t scored in his last 18 games and had two goals disallowed during this time.🙃 Dominic Calvert-Lewin is underperforming his xG more than any other player in the Premier League this season (-5.69) pic.twitter.com/bvtcAwDO2R— WhoScored.com (@WhoScored) February 14, 2024 Dyche, who remains unwavering in his support for Everton’s number nine, maintains that top centre-forwards don’t shy away from the task at hand. “When strikers have a bad patch, they sometimes say they’re going away from the chances; the best ones don’t. They’re not happy, but they’ll miss it because they know that’s part of the job. They think ‘I miss, I miss, I miss, but guess what, the next one’s in.’ They keep going and going and going and going. The only question for me is if they’re not in there, but we are getting bodies in there, we are getting people in the right places, and we are having chances. That’s got to continue for it to change. You can’t step away from it, you’ve got to continue.”Crystal Palace lost three of their last four Premier League matches and is winless in their last six away games in the top flight. Such poor form is what spelt the end of the road for Hodgson – even before he fell ill.ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUESaturdayBrentford – Liverpool 1-4 (0-2)/Toney 75 – Nunez 35, Mac Allister 55, Salah 68, Gakpo 86/Burnley – Arsenal 0-5 (0-2)/Odegaard 4, Saka 39 pen, 47, Trossard 66, Havertz 78/Fulham – Aston Villa 1-2 (0-1)/Muniz 64 – Watkins 23, 56/Nott.Forest – West Ham 2-0 (1-0)/Awoniyi 45+5, Hudson-Odoi 90+5/Newcastle – Bournemouth 2-2 (0-0)/Ritchie 90+2, Gordon 57 pen – Solanke 51, Semenyo 69/Tottenham – Wolverhampton 1-2 (0-1)/Kulusevski 46 – Gomes 43, 64/Man.City – Chelsea 1-1 (0-1)/Rodri 83 – Sterling 42/SundaySheffield Utd – Brighton 0-5 (0-2)/Buonanotte 10, Welbeck 24, Robinson 75(og), Adingra 78, 85/Luton – Man.Utd. 1-2 (1-2)/Morris 14 – Hojlund 1, 7/Monday23.00: (1.80) Everton (3.60) Crystal Palace (5.10)***odds are subject to change
