Goals from England international midfielder Conor Gallagher and James Tomkins helped Crystal Palace to a 3-1 victory against Everton in the premier league on Sunday.
Gallagher’s fifth goal of the season for Crystal Palace secured the win in stoppage time for the Eagles, who dominated for large periods of the match at Selhurst Park.
Crystal Palace manager Patrick Vieira said: “It was an important win for us, we needed it.
“I’m really pleased because we ran through a lot of scenarios in the game and in the end we got the win.”
Palace had a number of chances to take the lead in the first half with Wilfried Zaha and Jordan Ayew having shots saved by Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford before Gallagher opened the scoring at the end of the first half.
Everton manager Rafa Benitez’s decision to substitute Richarlison in the 50th minute provoked a chorus of boos from the travelling Everton fans, who voiced their discontent at the team’s poor form with the visitors having won once in the last 10 games.
“You make a substitution and you cannot expect a fan to [know] why,” Benitez told Liverpool Echo. “The player was not helping by moving his arms, but he knew because he told us and would see he wasn’t fully fit.
“We were trying to protect a player, but it goes against you.”
Palace defender James Tomkins scored his first premier league goal since 2019 to put the South London side 2-0 up before Everton responded through Salomon Rondon to set up a tense finish.
The Eagles held on to their lead and Gallagher secured the win in the 94th minute by curling in a right-footed effort from outside the penalty area.
The result moved Palace above Everton into 12th place, whilst Everton drop to 14th.
Crystal Palace next play against Southampton at home on Wednesday before Everton travel to Stamford Bridge to play Chelsea a day later.
