Why Everton’s McCarthy will orchestrate Palace’s seventh straight defeat

Crystal Palace – Everton

Date: 9th November 2013

Venue: Selhurst Park

KO: 17.00

Roberto Martinez’s Everton side have made their best start to a Premier League season since 2003, when they finished the campaign in the top four. They visit Selhurst Park on Saturday to take on Crystal Palace who are showing all the signs of a team who are doomed for the drop. Caretaker boss Keith Millen has another go at picking up some valuable points for the Eagles while the board continue to seek a permanent replacement for the recently departed Ian Holloway.

Team News:

Crystal Palace

Palace’s caretaker manager will be without Jack Hunt, Jonathan Williams, Paddy McCarthy, Adlene Guedioura and most importantly, Glen Murray for this game. Palace would go to end of the earth to get Murray back from injury at the moment, especially with the struggle for goals which is taking place at Selhurst Park . None of The Eagles’ current crop of strikers have been able to score the goals that Palace badly need at the moment – a position the new Palace manager may want to look at strengthening in January.

Everton

Everton have the exact same number of injuries. Romelu Lukaku will be the main focus of Roberto Martinez’s pre-match thoughts as he attempts to recover from the hip injury he obtained last weekend in his clash with Hugo Lloris. Another major disappointment is Arouna Kone‘s knee injury which could see the Ivorian ruled out for the rest of the season. Other Everton players that won’t make the trip to London are; Apostolos Vellios, Darron Gibson and Antolin Alcaraz.

Recent Form:

As has been widely documented, Crystal Palace need to start winning if they’re going to have any chance of keeping themselves in the fight to survive another season in the Premier League. The Eagles have lost every one of their last seven games in the top flight of English football and with tough games to come, Palace need to start picking up points at home at the very least. There has been encouraging signs, however. Managerless Palace gave a very good account of themselves away to West Brom last weekend but, as has been the case for the majority for the season to-date, Palace failed to score, even though creating enough chances.

Everton on the other hand, are hitting top form of late. Although out-performed against Tottenham last Sunday, The Toffees managed to steal a point – the type of point that will impress every Everton fan in terms of obtaining points when you’re playing well is relatively easy – obtaining points when you’re being out-played shows signs of resilience and the type of belief that has landed Manchester United and Liverpool, among many clubs, titles in the past. Everton will want to carry on their good run of results recently in a game that should be seen as a potential banana skin but an easily-winnable game.

Players to Watch:

Crystal Palace - Dwight Gayle

Although not having the best season to-date, this is the type of game that Dwight Gayle could really show why Palace put faith in him and show to the Premier League exactly why other clubs ought to have not passed on the chance of signing the 23-year-old. The English striker has only scored two goals so far in the 10 appearances he’s made in a Palace shirt this season. One thing Palace fans has been impressed with is Gayle’s work-rate, this is shown perfectly by Gayle’s tackle success rate (75%). Overall, Gayle has shown signs of being a very physical, team-player type of striker, but like every striker, he needs goals.

Everton - James McCarthy

James McCarthy will be crucial to Everton during this game for two main reasons: the first being the control McCarthy will need to set on the game. With Palace desperate for their first win in seven games, The Eagles will try everything to get those goals that could potentially win Palace this match. McCarthy will need to maintain the control over games that he’s shown capable of doing so far this campaign.

The Ireland international has a tackle success rate of 85%, this is among the best in the Premier League and the game at Selhurst Park will be another game that needs McCarthy to be ever-reliable whilst tackling to break down any Palace attack. Secondly, McCarthy’s short-passing will need to be at its best. This is in-part due to the small size of the Selhurst Park pitch and how somebody, like McCarthy, who is small in stature but big in technical ability can show just how good a short-passer he is.

Prediction

No matter how desperate Palace are for a win, I for one, would be very surprised if anybody puts a large amount of money on a home win. With the form Everton are in and how The Toffees last weekend showed how they’re not just capable of an expansive, open game, this game will be an away win.

Crystal Palace 0-2 Everton