Everton 2 Crystal Palace 1: Dwight McNeil inspires epic turnaround as Toffees finally secure first Premier League win

DWIGHT MCNEIL produced the wonder double that got desperate Sean Dyche off the hook.

The Everton boss had told prospective new owner Dan Friedkin that he remained the best man for the job should the ambitious American billionaire move in.

Reuters

Dwight McNeil grabbed two goals to turn the match for Everton[/caption]

Alamy

McNeil was in the perfect place to last the winner[/caption]

Rex

Eagles’ keeper Dean Henderson was unable to keep the decisive goal out[/caption]

He might have been wondering about that claim himself by half-time after Eagles skipper Marc Guehi put his side ahead while the Toffees floundered.

But McNeil came to the rescue in spectacular fashion inside seven sensational minutes while he and his team mates finally held onto a lead after blowing three in a row.

For Palace boss Oliver Glasner there was only frustration with his team still searching for a first win of the campaign.

The day couldn’t have got off to a worse start for Dyche and by that break he and his players were listening to the familiar sound of jeers.

The Toffees boss had already overseen his club’s worst start to a top-flight campaign in 66 years with only one point from five games.

So the last thing anybody in blue needed was to concede the softest goal imaginable after only 10 minutes.

Adam Wharton, who would go on to boss the first half, looped a cross to the far post, Max Lacroix easily outjumped Abdoulaye Doucoure, and Guehi could miss from six yards.

Jarrad Branthwaite was back for the defence but the £70million-rated centre half was as statuesque as partner James Tarkowski.

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Daniel Munoz just missed from even closer, Wharton tested Jordan Pickford, Eberchi Eze should have connected better with what was a free hit from 20 yards.

Dyche’s side were nowhere as the stats proved – before the interval they had just six touches in the Eagles box compared to 18 by their opponents.

Yet Palace arrived on Merseyside as supposedly easy meat having won only one of their previous 19 Prem games against Everton.

What’s more Dyche had almost always enjoyed coming up against them.

Stretching back to ex-club Burnley he had lost only seven of 22 games against them, his best record against any team.

But those half-time jeers said it all. Which is why nobody could foresee what would come next.

Certainly not in the way McNeil grabbed centre stage with those strikes.

Just two minutes after the re-start, with the gloom suffocating most of the ground, Ashley Young popped the ball inside and McNeil, who had talked about relishing his switch from left winger to a No 10 role, suddenly produced true magic.

Around 25 yards out he took one touch to control then let fly, his strike arrowing into Dean Henderson’s right hand top corner.

The mood had changed in a heartbeat and so had Palace’s hold on the game.

Reuters

Guehi hails his early opener at Goodison Park[/caption]

PA

Marc Guehi poked a breakthrough goal for Crystal Palace on 10 minutes[/caption]

Guehi’s goal had given them the lead in a game for the first time this season and until McNeil started doing his thing they hadn’t looked like losing it.

But the home side, and especially McNeil, were on fire now.

Jack Harrison, who replaced Jesper Lindstrom at half time, delivered a high ball towards the far post which McNeil brought down superbly with his right foot before lashing in an eight-yard volley with his other.

It should have been all over nine minutes from the end after Dominic Calvert-Lewin flicked on for Doucoure.

But the midfielder hesitated with only Henderson to beat and Lacroix nicked the ball off his toe.

Cue high anxiety within Dyche’s ranks as the clock ticked down and Palace did stage a determined charge for a point.

But this time there would be no Toffees collapse and few around the place can have been happier than Dyche at the final whistle.