Everton vs Crystal Palace: Moyes Returns for Premier League Opener

The Premier League curtain lifts at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, and it does so with a story on both benches. Everton against Crystal Palace is not just a fixture; it’s the launchpad for two very different projects, both under intense early scrutiny.

Kick-off is set for 10:00 a.m. local time on August 22, 2026, with the United States audience able to follow along on UNIVERSO, USA Network, Fubo, DirecTV Stream and Sling TV.

Moyes back in blue, and straight into a test

David Moyes walks back into Everton’s home dugout with expectation already humming around the new-look Hill Dickinson Stadium. This is his first Premier League game of the 2026/27 season, his first competitive outing of this latest spell, and it comes with the kind of weight he knows all too well: set the tone early, or spend months chasing it.

Everton’s summer has been busy but not chaotic. The club are still in talks over an ambitious move for Manchester City winger Jack Grealish, with chief executive Angus Kinnear confirming contact. Whether Grealish ever pulls on a blue shirt is a question for later in the window. For now, Moyes leans on something far more tangible — a largely settled core and a clear structure.

Jordan Pickford anchors the side in goal. In front of him, Jarrad Branthwaite and James Tarkowski provide the steel at centre-back, with Vitaliy Mykolenko and Jake O'Brien expected to complete a back four that will have to be switched on from the first whistle.

Midfield is where Moyes will demand control. Harrison Armstrong, Merlin Roehl and Hayden Hackney are set to form a trio tasked with knitting play and screening the defence. Ahead of them, Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will look to slide into pockets and feed new focal point Thierno Barry.

Injuries have already taken a bite. James Garner, Tim Iroegbunam and Christian Noergaard are all sidelined, trimming Moyes’ options but not his intent.

Sage steps into the spotlight

On the opposite touchline, Pierre Sage steps into the Premier League glare for the first time. Palace arrive on Merseyside with a new voice, a refreshed approach and a manager who has wasted no time in putting his stamp on the squad.

The message from Selhurst Park during the window has been firm. Manchester City came calling for Adam Wharton; Palace shut the door. Sage has been clear: the England international is not for sale this summer. At the back, the club are closing in on a season-long loan for Chelsea defender Axel Disasi, a move designed to tighten a defensive unit that will be tested from day one.

For now, Walter Benitez is set to start in goal, shielded by a back line of Jaydee Canvot, Chadi Riad, Chris Richards and Tyrick Mitchell. It’s a group that will be asked to stay compact and disciplined in a hostile away environment.

Palace’s shape higher up the pitch carries intrigue. Ismaila Sarr, Dwight McNeil, Daichi Kamada, Adam Wharton and Oscar Mingueza are projected to operate across midfield and the wide channels, offering a blend of running power, guile and technical quality. Up front, Joergen Strand Larsen leads the line, a clear reference point for Sage’s first Premier League outing.

Dean Henderson is the only injury concern listed for the visitors. No suspensions. No excuses.

Pre-season hints, not answers

Both clubs step into this opener with records that tease more than they reveal.

Everton finished pre-season at 2-2-1. A 1-1 draw with Lille on August 15 rounded off their schedule, but it was a 3-1 win over Newcastle that best showcased their potential, with the Toffees mixing aggression and control. They also claimed a 2-1 victory away to Hamburger SV. The flipside? Defeats to VfB Stuttgart (3-1) and Stoke City (1-0), six goals conceded across those two games and reminders that this team can still be got at.

Crystal Palace’s warm-up slate read 2-1-2. The final dress rehearsal was a sobering one: a 3-0 defeat to Freiburg on August 15 that cut through some of the optimism. Before that, though, Palace had beaten Fulham 2-1 and Al-Ula FC 3-1, results that underlined their attacking threat. A 3-0 loss to Lens and a goalless draw with Famalicao completed a mixed picture — six scored, seven conceded, and a manager still fine-tuning the balance.

Neither side truly knows what they are yet. That’s what this weekend starts to answer.

Everton’s edge in the recent rivalry

History, at least the recent kind, leans slightly towards Everton.

The last meeting between these clubs ended 2-2 at Selhurst Park on May 10, 2026, a lively draw that underlined how little separates them on the day. Stretch the lens to the last five Premier League clashes, though, and Everton have the upper hand: three wins, two draws, no Palace victories.

Across those five games, Everton have scored nine to Palace’s seven. At Hill Dickinson Stadium, the dominance is sharper still — 2-1 wins for the Toffees in both October 2025 and September 2024. Narrow margins, but consistent ones.

Heading into this new season’s opener, the table offers its own twist: Palace sit eighth, Everton ninth. Close enough to call it a straight fight for the same patch of ground.

How to watch in the United States

For viewers in the U.S., the game is available across multiple platforms:

• UNIVERSO
• USA Network
• Fubo
• DirecTV Stream
• Sling TV

Fans outside their usual broadcast region who rely on streaming services may look to a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to access their normal subscriptions, using a secure, encrypted connection and a server in a country where the match is being shown.

The stakes on day one

Opening days don’t decide seasons, but they do set the mood. Moyes knows that a strong home performance can light up a fanbase still adjusting to another new chapter. Sage understands that an assertive display on the road would announce Palace’s intentions under his watch.

Everton’s recent record in this fixture, Palace’s refusal to be bullied in the market, two managers with something to prove and a table that already nudges them side by side — it all feeds into one question.

Who lands the first punch in a season where neither club can afford to be passive?