Everton, featuring Vitalii Mykolenko, opened the new 2026/27 English Premier League season with a home win over Crystal Palace. David Moyes' side held the upper hand in both halves, scoring one goal in each period to claim the championship's first three points while keeping their own goal intact. The match served as the opening fixture on the standings for both teams and immediately set the tone for the Toffees at the start of the season.
Match flow and goal scorers
The hosts were more active in the first half and managed to open the scoring before the break. In the 42nd minute, Kieran Dowdsbury-Hall had the chance to strike from outside the box and powered the ball into the corner of the net with a powerful shot, putting Everton ahead. After the break, the Liverpool side quickly doubled their lead: in the 53rd minute, Thierno Barry converted a precise strike to make it 2-0. Crystal Palace tried to narrow the gap, but the Londoners were unable to equalise, and Everton comfortably saw the match through to victory.
Vitalii Mykolenko — a full match in the starting XI
Ukraine international defender Vitalii Mykolenko started for Everton at left-back and played the full 90 minutes without being substituted. The Ukrainian performed reliably in defence, helped the team keep a clean sheet, and successfully kicked off another season in the English Premier League, becoming one of the key elements of the Liverpool side's defensive structure in the opening round.
Context: Crystal Palace without Ismaila Sarr
It is worth noting that Crystal Palace, the reigning holders of the European Conference League trophy, played this match without one of their key players — winger Ismaila Sarr. The Senegalese footballer was sidelined from the squad due to his desire to move to Turkey's Galatasaray, which deprived the Londoners of one of their main attacking assets at the start of the championship.
The first surprises of the new Premier League season
Apart from Everton's win, the start of the 2026/27 Premier League season already produced its first major surprise: a Championship upstart left Manchester United with no chance. Thus, the first round of the new championship was marked both by the confident start of the Liverpool side and by an unexpected result that immediately drew attention to the standings and the mood of the season.
