Everton 3-2 Crystal Palace: Dominic Calvert-Lewin winner preserves Toffees’ Premier League status

Everton secured their Premier League status with an incredible fightback where they came from two goals down to beat Crystal Palace.

But conjuring up a fighter’s spirit once more and spurred on by they vociferous support, Everton turned the game around in the second half, thanks to a more attacking approach.

Nine minutes after the break Michael Keane smashed in to give Frank Lampard’s side hope, and when Richarlison found the bottom corner with a miscued shot with 15 minutes left, it sent Goodison Park into raptures as a precious point looked likely.

Yet the best was to come with five minutes left. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who scored his first goal since August against Brentford last Sunday during an injury-hit season, sparked pandemonium with a diving header from Demarai Gray’s free-kick.

The excitement boiled over as fans descended on the pitch to celebrate, with blue mist shrouding the stadium as smoke flares were let off.

The crucial result avoided the kind of final-day nerves that Everton fans had to experience in 1998 and 1994, where the team also preserved their Premier League status.

This time, with a trip to Arsenal on Sunday, they can at least enjoy the fact that however tortuous this season has been, they will remain in the top flight, and will hope to build on the spirit which the team has showed in the closing stages of the campaign.

The party started at the final whistle, with thousands of fans flooding onto the pitch, letting off more smoke flares, saluting their team and manager Lampard.

But he and the club will hope they will never have to cope with a similar scare again given lavish spending on players and a move to a new stadium in 2024.

Spirit from fans and players saved Everton again

Lampard described this game as “all or nothing” given Everton’s wretched away record, which has seen them win once on the road since August.

And despite a poor showing in the first period, where once again Everton looked inferior to their opponents, they somehow managed another second-half turnaround, which has been crucial in keeping them in the Premier League.

The scenes at the final whistle were in stark contrast to those before the break where a tempestuous game boiled over on the pitch and left a livid feeling in the stands.

But after the introduction of Dele Alli at the break and a move to a more attacking formation, Everton matched their second-half showings against Newcastle, Leicester and Chelsea, which earned two draws and a win.

Lampard may well question why his side have to play poorly to find the inspiration, but boosted by a support which has had a massive role in their survival, they turned the game around against a Palace side which had beaten them twice already this season.

More to follow.

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