Crystal Palace 4-0 Everton: Eagles soar into Wembley semi-final

Crystal Palace joined Chelsea in the FA Cup semi-finals as they thrashed Everton 4-0 on Sunday.

Frank Lampard’s Everton headed to Selhurst Park on the back of a morale-boosting and much-needed league win over Newcastle United yet despite a bright start they crashed out of the cup.

Palace’s 3-1 win over Everton in December in the Premier League was their first against the Toffees in 14 matches and they were well on their way to another thanks to first-half goals from Marc Guehi and Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Patrick Vieira’s team were hardly troubled after the break, and they capped off progression in style thanks to late goals from Wilfried Zaha and Will Hughes.

Everton might have been ahead inside the opening minute, but Ben Godfrey just failed to meet Michael Keane’s scuffed shot.

Guehi survived a penalty claim after his sloppiness allowed Richarlison to pounce, though Everton’s bright start was punctured when former Palace winger Andros Townsend suffered an apparent knee injury.

Palace made that break count, with the unmarked Guehi heading in from Olise’s inswinging corner.

Zaha missed a great chance teed up by Mateta, yet the latter made no mistake when Palace’s talisman returned the favour, drilling home first-time from a brilliant cutback, and only a last-ditch Seamus Coleman tackle prevented the striker doubling his tally before the break.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin was introduced at half-time, yet he had managed just eight touches by the time Demarai Gray went close in the 66th minute.

There was precious little quality to the visitors’ play despite their precarious position and their FA Cup exit was confirmed in fittingly humbling fashion as a sliced Olise strike hit the post and fell for Zaha to nudge home.

Hughes similarly tapped into an empty net for Palace’s fourth to the delight of a jubilant home crowd.
 

What does it mean? More misery for Everton but Palace still dreaming

Everton were appearing in the quarter-final of the FA Cup for the 47th time, the outright most of any side in the competition’s history, but their sole focus must now be on Premier League survival. They have 11 games remaining and are three points clear of the relegation zone as it stands.

Palace, meanwhile, can look forward to a return to Wembley for the first time since 2015-16, when they went on to reach the final, where they were beaten by Manchester United, and it is sign of progress in what has been a strong first season for Vieira.

Great week for Guehi while Olise adds the stardust

Guehi has established himself as one of the Premier League’s leading young centre-backs since his move to Palace from Chelsea and has got his reward in the form of an England call-up this week.

After a shaky start, Guehi’s composure on and off the ball came to the fore following his opener, which was teed up by the excellent Olise, who has been directly involved in five goals in four FA Cup appearances this season, the most of any player.

Away day blues yet again for sorry Everton

Everton have now lost five successive away games across all competitions, conceding 16 goals and scoring just two in return.

Lampard’s team remain in a horrendous position in the league and have two crucial away games coming up, against West Ham and then what truly is a relegation six-pointer against Burnley at Turf Moor.

Key Opta Stats:

– Lampard is just the third Everton manager to lose each of his first four away games in charge of the Toffees in all competitions, after Cliff Britton (1948) and Ian Buchan (1956).
– Everton are winless in all six of their games in London in all competitions this season (D2 L4), having won five of their six games in the capital last season (L1).
– This was Everton’s biggest defeat in the FA Cup since a 4-0 home loss against Liverpool in 1955.
– After a run of seven FA Cup games without a single goal or assist, Zaha assisted Crystal Palace’s second goal before scoring their third.
– Palace have reached the FA Cup semi-final for the sixth time (1872, 1976, 1990, 1995 and 2016). The Eagles have reached the final on two of the last three occasions they have made the last four.

What’s next?

Crystal Palace return from action after the international break to host Arsenal in a London derby on April 4, a day after Everton visit West Ham.