Everton 1-1 Crystal Palace: Player ratings as Michy Batshuayi snatches point for Eagles

05 April 2021 10:05

A late strike from substitute Michy Batshuayi stole a point for Crystal Palace and dented Everton's Champions League hopes in a 1-1 draw at Goodison Park on Monday evening.

The home side should have had the breakthrough in the first half but they were kept at bay by Vicente Guaita, with Richarlison in particular frustrated by the Spaniard's inspired form.

But it didn't take long after the restart for the hosts to break the deadlock. The breakthrough arrived when Seamus Coleman picked up a ball from the left and played it into the feet of James Rodriguez, who hammered a precise effort beyond the despairing Palace keeper.

Guaita kept up his ridiculous shot-stopping form to keep Palace alive, but it seemed for all the world as if Everton would eventually find a second.

It didn't come, though - instead, it was Batshuayi who struck and made sure of a share of the spoils.

Let's get into some player ratings!

EVERTON

1. Goalkeeper & defenders

Mason Holgate impressed for Everton | CLIVE BRUNSKILL/Getty Images

Robin Olsen (GK) - 6/10 - Quieter of the two keepers but looked a safe and assured stand-in for Jordan Pickford - particularly as Palace pressed for the equaliser.

Michael Keane (CB) - 6/10 - Michael Keane is many things. 'Ball-playing defender' is not one of them.

Yerry Mina (CB) - 7/10 - Made as many clearances as the rest of the Everton team combined which just about summarises his role in the team.

Mason Holgate (CB) - 7/10 - Steady defensively and his long-range passing caused loads of problems for Palace. Definitely is a ball-playing defender.

2. Midfielders & wing-backs

Seamus Coleman (RB) - 7/10 - Rampaged up and down the right and came up with a few testing crosses. Well-placed to set up the opener.

Andre Gomes (CM) - 5/10 - Didn't get much of a chance to influence things before injury forced him off on the half hour mark.

Tom Davies (CM) - 6/10 - Dictated things from the base of midfield. Gave the ball away a couple of times but was generally neat and tidy on the ball.

James Rodriguez (CM) - 8/10 - Started in a deeper role on the right of a flat midfield three and that proved to be a masterstroke from Ancelotti as he arrived late in the box to open the scoring.

Lucas Digne (LB) - 6/10 - His crossing has been better, I'll say that, but otherwise functional.

3. Forwards

One of many ill-fated shots at goal from Richarlison | JON SUPER/Getty Images

Dominic Calvert-Lewin (CF) - 6/10 - Led the press well and put himself about. Might feel aggrieved not to have scored but a decent performance nonetheless.

Richarlison (CF) - 6/10 - Quite amazing that he didn't manage to score in the first half, either with his header or a one on one with Guaita.

4. Substitutes

Gylfi Sigurdsson (Gomes, 29) - 6/10

Ben Godfrey (Coleman, 76) - 5/10

Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Rodriguez, 79) - 5/10

CRYSTAL PALACE

5. Goalkeeper & defenders

Vicente Guaita (GK) - 7/10 - Some really good stops in the first half kept Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin at bay. His resilience eventually gave way but he kept the score down with one or two key saves after the break.

Joel Ward (RB) - 6/10 - Reasonably effective at holding his position and launching hospital balls into the box; not that great at anything else.

Cheikhou Kouyate (CB) - 5/10 - Caught out with his positioning once or twice and didn't win enough of his battles for Roy Hodgson's liking.

Gary Cahill (CB) - 6/10 - Steady enough and did a better job against Calvert-Lewin than most have this season.

Patrick van Aanholt (LB) - 5/10 - Didn't enjoy his best 90 minutes as he lost the battle to Coleman.

6. Midfielders

Eberechi Eze gets stuck in with Michael Keane | PETER POWELL/Getty Images

Jordan Ayew (RM) - 6/10 - Seemed at his best when he drifted inside and had plenty of freedom to do so when Palace had the ball.

Jairo Riedewald (CM) - 7/10 - Covered a lot of ground but struggled to impose himself and was hooked as Palace chased a route back into the game.

Luka Milivojevic (CM) - 6/10 - Made a real mess of one early on, losing possession to Andre Gomes and nearly costing his side a goal. Otherwise kept things fairly tight.

Eberechi Eze (LM) - 7/10 - By far the biggest threat from Palace's slab of a midfield. Looked nearly impossible to dispossess when he got going.

7. Forwards

Benteke defends a corner | Pool/Getty Images

Christian Benteke (CF) - 6/10 - Started his fifth straight game and made himself a nuisance with some neat link-up play at times.

Wilfried Zaha (CF) - 5/10 - Disappointing by his standards. Didn't see near as much of the ball as he likes.

8. Substitutes

Jeffrey Schlupp (Ridewald, 68) - 5/10

Jean-Philippe Mateta (Benteke, 77) - 5/10

Michy Batshuayi (Ayew, 84) - 7/10

Source: 90min