Everton v Crystal Palace: Premier League – live! | Football

Not long now: The teams make their way out on to the Goodison Park pitch for one of just four top flight games being played this weekend, what with the other 12 top flight teams currently enjoying their winter break. The players go through the last of the pre-match formalities and kick-off is just a couple of minutes away.

Carlo Ancelotti speaks: “We need more of everything,” said Everton’s manager on the subject of his four changes. “More quality, more intensity, more pressure, more concentration. It’s not easy to pick the line-up but I want everyone to be involved and the players accept my decisions. Crystal Palace are a good team with lots of different qualities but we want to focus on our game today. We hope to take the initiative and play a fantastic match.”

Roy Hodgson speaks: Asked if he would pick Vicente Guaita following the goalkeeping error that cost Crystal Palace three points against Sheffield United last week, Roy Hodgson was adamant the Spaniard would start today.

“You don’t drop first-choice goalkeepers because they’ve made one mistake,” he said. “It can happen to anyone. We’re very happy with him and very happy he’s playing today.”

Four changes for Everton …

While Roy Hodgson names an identical side to the one that lost against Sheffield United last weekend, Carlo Ancelotti has made four changes following his team’s come-from-behind win against Watford.

As previously mentioned, Fabian Delph is suspended and replaced by Morgan Schneiderlin, while Seamus Coleman and Michael Keane come into defence for Djibril Sidibe and Mason Holgate. Alex Iwobi also drops to the bench to make way for Bernard.

Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Mina, Digne, Walcott, Sigurdsson, Schneiderlin, Bernard, Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison.

Subs: Holgate, Baines, Iwobi, Sidibe, Stekelenburg, Davies, Kean.

Crystal Palace: Guaita, Ward, Tomkins, Cahill, van Aanholt, Ayew, McCarthy, Milivojevic, McArthur, Zaha, Benteke.

Subs: Dann, Meyer, Kouyate, Townsend, Hennessey, Mitchell, Riedewald.

Referee: David Coote (Nottinghamshire)

Early team news …

Everton will be without Fabian Delph, who is serving a one-match suspension and will sit this game out on the Naughty Step following his red card against Watford last weekend. Andre Gomes and Jan-Philippe Gbamin are long term absentees, although Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that Gomes is nearing a surprisingly early return from the horrific ankle injury he suffered during Everton’s draw with Spurs in November. The midfielder might be fit enough to make Everton’s squad for their match against Arsenal on 23 February.

On loan at Palace from Everton, the Turkish striker Cenk Tosun is ineligible for this game against his parent club, but would have missed out anyway due to a hamstring problem. Centre-back Mamadou Sakho remains sidelined with a hip injury, while left-back Jeffrey Schlupp has a hip injury and has not played since early December.

The first of today’s two Premier League matches kick off at Goodison Park, where Everton host Crystal Palace in today’s lunchtime fixture. Just three points separate the sides, but Palace will draw level with Everton on 30 points if they can beat them today. Kick-off on Merseyside is at 12.30pm (GMT), but stay tuned in the meantime for team news and build-up.