Best Odds: 19/20
Bookmaker:
Two sides who will be looking to extend on their respective FA Cup adventures on Wednesday night, Everton will welcome Crystal Palace to Goodison Park for their replay showdown.
Everton
Starting with the hosts, while Everton might have eventually snatched a 0-0 stalemate against Aston Villa over the weekend, Sean Dyche’s side have continued on a worrying blip. Although the Blues might have found themselves at the heart of a real Premier League purple patch last month, they are once again looking over their shoulder at a looming relegation scrap. Hit with a hugely controversial 10-point deduction back in November, Everton are without a single win from any of their previous six meetings against Premier League opposition. Crashing out of the EFL Cup on December 19th after suffering penalties heartbreak at home against Fulham, the former Burnley boss will have a mounting headache over his side’s extended issues in the final third. Playing out another 0-0 draw when they travelled to Selhurst Park for their FA Cup first leg battle on January 4th, it should be highlighted that Dyche’s men have failed to find the net in over 330 minutes of action.
Team News
Away with Senegal at this month’s Africa Cup of Nations, Everton will once again be without the services of Idrissa Gueye here. Likewise, missing out against Aston Villa over the weekend and still suffering from a recent knock, former Manchester United star Ashley Young is not expected to feature on Wednesday night.
Forced to settle for a spot at Goodison Park on Sunday, Dwight McNeil should be handed a full recall. Successfully overturning Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s first leg red card, the England international should keep his role spearheading Dyche’s attack.
Crystal Palace
As for the visitors, although Crystal Palace might have signed off 2023 with a 3-1 romp against Brentford, it is no secret that Roy Hodgson’s side are desperately seeking some stability. Missing out on what they had billed as a real opportunity on January 4th as they eventually had to settle for that 0-0 stalemate at Selhurst Park, the one-time England boss has found some mounting pressure on his shoulders. Battling it out in the bottom-half of the Premier League table, the Eagles have recorded just a single win from any of their last 10 straight appearances across all competitions. With that extended blip stemming all the way back to a 2-0 victory away at Burnley on November 4th, Crystal Palace have also failed to record back-to-back wins across any competition since the start of September. Without a win against Everton from any of their previous five meetings, Hodgson’s side will be desperate to spring an FA Cup upset here.
Team News
Away with Ghana at this month’s Africa Cup of Nations, Jordan Ayew will play no part on Wednesday night. All still dealing with respective injury issues, Crystal Palace will make the trip to Goodison Park in midweek without the likes of Cheick Doucoure, Tyrick Mitchell and former Arsenal defender Rob Holding.
While Odsonne Edouard might have not made a single domestic start since December 9th, the ex-Celtic striker could be handed a full recall here. Continuing to shine since returning from his own injury issue last month, England international Eberechi Eze should have a key role to play here.
Key Factors to Consider
