adminPaul Merson highlights Everton issue as he makes Crystal Palace prediction
Everton Face Stern Test Against In-Form Crystal Palace
Everton are in for a challenging afternoon when they welcome Crystal Palace to the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday.
The Toffees will attempt to bring an end to Palace’s impressive 19-game unbeaten streak across all competitions. With their own form faltering, this 5 October clash presents Everton with a crucial opportunity to turn things around — though it won’t be easy.
Sean Dyche’s side will be without key players Jarrad Branthwaite, Merlin Röhl, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, which adds further difficulty to the task of toppling a confident Eagles side.
Up front, Everton continue to struggle. Both Beto and Thierno Barry have failed to provide the cutting edge the team desperately needs — a concern that’s drawn media attention ahead of the weekend fixture.
Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson weighed in with a bold claim, stating in his 3 October Sportskeeda predictions that Everton would be a top-six or top-seven Premier League side if they had Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta leading the line. “Even if Beto and Thierno Barry were rolled into one, it still wouldn’t be better than Mateta,” he wrote, while predicting a 1-1 draw between the sides.
Indeed, Mateta could pose a real threat to Everton’s defence. The French forward has scored twice in six Premier League appearances this season and racked up 14 and 16 goals in his previous two campaigns — a level of consistency Everton are currently lacking in attack.
However, Palace’s overall squad quality makes direct comparisons difficult. Mateta benefits from playing in a more cohesive, better-balanced team, which raises questions about how Beto or Barry might perform under similar circumstances.
Still, stopping Mateta will be critical if Everton hope to get a result. At 28, the striker remains one of the most dangerous finishers in the league, and while manager Sean Dyche would no doubt welcome a player of his calibre, suggesting Mateta alone would catapult Everton into the Premier League’s top tier is a stretch — especially given the broader gulf in quality between the two squads.
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