## Everton vs. Crystal Palace Prediction: Eagles to Soar in Merseyside Clash **October 21, 2023** **Goodison Park, Liverpool** Two struggling Premier League sides, Everton and Crystal Palace, will face off at Goodison Park on Saturday in a crucial relegation six-pointer. Both teams have endured disappointing starts to the season, with Everton sitting in 18th place and Palace just one point above them in 17th. ### Everton's Struggles Continue Everton has failed to win any of their first seven league games, drawing three and losing four. Their only victory this season came in the Carabao Cup against League One side Fleetwood Town. The Toffees have been plagued by injuries, with key players such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Yerry Mina, and Abdoulaye Doucoure all spending time on the sidelines. New manager Frank Lampard has also struggled to find the right formula, with Everton often looking disjointed and lacking in confidence. ### Crystal Palace's Inconsistent Form Crystal Palace have been equally inconsistent this season, winning two, drawing three, and losing two of their seven league games. They have shown glimpses of quality, particularly in their 3-1 victory over Aston Villa, but have also been prone to defensive errors and poor decision-making. Manager Patrick Vieira has been experimenting with different formations and personnel, but has yet to find a settled starting XI. The Eagles have also been hampered by injuries, with talisman Wilfried Zaha missing the last three games. ### Prediction Both Everton and Crystal Palace are desperate for a victory in this game, but Crystal Palace look the more likely team to emerge victorious. Palace have a slightly better squad on paper, and they have shown more attacking intent in recent weeks. They will be confident of exploiting Everton's defensive weaknesses, particularly if Zaha is fit to play. Everton, on the other hand, are low on confidence and have a number of injury concerns. They will need to produce a much-improved performance to get anything from this game. **Prediction: Crystal Palace to win 2-1**
