Everton vs Crystal Palace Picks, Prediction, Odds, and Line Movement for Saturday August 22 2026
Everton open their 2026-27 Premier League campaign against Crystal Palace on Saturday at Hill Dickinson Stadium, and the betting market makes the Toffees a modest home favorite in what projects as one of the tighter matches of opening weekend. For more angles on today's slate, check out these EPL predictions before finalizing your card. Below we break down the odds, the line movement, the injuries and the matchup notes shaping our side and total picks for this Premier League opener.
TLDR: Quick Picks and Prediction
- Moneyline Pick: Everton -0.5 (+110)
- Total Pick: Under 2.5
- Final Score Prediction: Everton 1, Crystal Palace 0
Odds and Line Movement
Everton are priced around +120 on the moneyline, with Palace +235 and the draw +240, while Everton -0.5 is available at +110 and the total sits at 2.5 goals with the Under around -115. Below is the current market along with how the line has moved leading into kickoff.
Current Odds
| Team | Moneyline |
|---|---|
| Crystal Palace | +240 |
| Everton | +115 |
| Draw | +240 |
| Total | Over | Under |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 | 2½o-106 | 2½u-114 |
Line Movement - Moneyline
| Date | Crystal Palace | Everton | Draw |
|---|---|---|---|
| 08/20 | +240 | +115 | +240 |
| 08/20 | +240 | +115 | +240 |
| 08/20 | +230 | +115 | +230 |
| 08/20 | +230 | +115 | +230 |
| 08/20 | +115 | ||
| 08/20 | +230 | ||
| 08/19 | +230 | +110 | +250 |
| 08/19 | +230 | +110 | +250 |
| 08/19 | +230 | +110 | +250 |
| 08/19 | +240 | +110 | +250 |
| 08/19 | +230 | +115 | +230 |
| 08/19 | +230 | +115 | +230 |
| 08/19 | +115 | ||
| 08/19 | +230 | ||
| 08/18 | +230 | +110 | +250 |
| 08/18 | +230 | +110 | +250 |
| 08/18 | +230 | +110 | +250 |
| 08/18 | +110 | ||
| 08/18 | +250 | ||
| 08/18 | +230 | +115 | +230 |
| 08/18 | +230 | +115 | +230 |
| 08/18 | +230 | +115 | +230 |
| 08/18 | +220 | +115 | +240 |
| 08/17 | +230 | +115 | +230 |
Line Movement - Total
| Date | Over | Under |
|---|---|---|
| 08/19 | 2½o-106 | 2½u-114 |
| 08/19 | 2½o-112 | 2½u-108 |
| 08/17 | 2½o-106 | 2½u-114 |
| 08/12 | 2½o-110 | 2½u-110 |
| 07/23 | ||
| 07/12 | 2½o-130 | 2½u+106 |
| 07/09 |
Everton vs Crystal Palace Key Matchups and Game Preview
Everton's Continuity
Everton finished 13th last season but were considerably more competitive under David Moyes than that final position suggests, narrowly missing the European race before fading late, and continuity should help as they begin a full campaign at their new stadium.
Crystal Palace's Transition
Palace also finished in the bottom half and enter a transitional season following Oliver Glasner's departure, with Pierre Sage taking over a squad that has retained much of its core but lost influential defender Maxence Lacroix.
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Mateta Leads Palace's Attack
Jean-Philippe Mateta remains Palace's primary scoring threat after leading the club with 12 Premier League goals last season, while Adam Wharton provides creativity from midfield and Yeremy Pino gives the Eagles another dangerous option between the lines.
Everton's Midfield Concerns
Everton's biggest concern is in central midfield. James Garner is expected to miss the opener after undergoing groin surgery, and summer addition Christian Norgaard has also been ruled out, removing two players who would normally provide ball-winning ability and control in front of the defense.
Garner's Absence Looms Large
Garner was particularly important last season, leading Everton in assists and chances created while also ranking first on the team in tackles and interceptions.
Branthwaite Bolsters the Back Line
Jarrad Branthwaite, however, progressed through preseason and should strengthen the back line if fully fit. Palace's current injury situation appears less disruptive, giving the visitors a potential advantage in continuity through midfield.
Recent head-to-head results nevertheless favor Everton: the Toffees beat Palace 2-1 at home last season before the clubs drew 2-2 in the return fixture, and Everton have historically been difficult for Palace to beat in this matchup.
Betting Trends - EVE vs CRY
The moneyline has held in a fairly tight range, with Everton moving between +110 and +115 and Palace fluctuating between +220 and +240 over the past several days, while the draw has settled between +230 and +250. Public tickets have consistently favored Everton, ranging from 72% up to 77% across nearly every update. The total has drifted slightly, moving from 2½o-110 in mid-August to the current 2½o-106, with Under money showing up as high as 114 cents on the latest report.
Everton Injury Notes
With James Garner expected to miss the opener after groin surgery and Christian Norgaard also ruled out, Everton's midfield control is notably weakened heading into this Premier League opener.
Key Injuries and Things To Know - EVE vs CRY
- Everton: James Garner is expected to miss the opener after undergoing groin surgery.
- Everton: Christian Norgaard has also been ruled out.
- Everton: Jarrad Branthwaite progressed through preseason and should strengthen the back line if fully fit.
- Crystal Palace: Maxence Lacroix has departed the club, and Palace's current injury situation appears less disruptive by comparison.
- Everton beat Palace 2-1 at home last season before the clubs drew 2-2 in the return fixture.
Everton vs Crystal Palace Side and Over/Under Picks
Everton on the Moneyline
I still give Everton a narrow edge through home field and defensive stability, making Everton -0.5 at plus money playable.
Crystal Palace and the Total
Everton's midfield absences could reduce their ability to create sustained attacking pressure, while Palace are adjusting to a new manager and are unlikely to play recklessly away from home on opening weekend, making Under 2.5 my stronger selection.
- Moneyline: Everton -0.5 (+110)
- Total: Under 2.5 (-115)
Final Score Prediction
Prediction: Everton 1, Crystal Palace 0, making Everton -0.5 (+110) and Under 2.5 (-115) the preferred bets for this Premier League opener.
- Final Score: Everton 1, Crystal Palace 0
- Winning Side: Everton -0.5 (+110)
- Total Result: Under 2.5 (-115)
How to Wager On Everton vs Crystal Palace
Bettors looking to shop the market on this Everton vs Crystal Palace opener should compare moneyline and total pricing across multiple books, since the line movement above shows real swings on both sides leading into kickoff. For bettors who want additional tools to sharpen their process on games like this one, these resources can help round out your card:
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- AI picks for data-driven picks across today's slate
- Dimers review for a look at model-based projections
- Oddible review for another AI-driven angle on this matchup
