Everton’s 2-0 Premier League opening-day win over Crystal Palace remains the headline story in this refreshed update, published on 17 September 2026. The final score has not changed: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry scored the goals that sent supporters home happy from Hill Dickinson Stadium. This update brings together every confirmed detail fans are searching for, including the scoreline, the goalscorers, the debutants David Moyes selected, and the serious injury suffered by Palace defender Chadi Riad. The result itself is settled; what follows is a full breakdown of how Everton got there.
Update: Everton start season with 2-0 victory
Everton opened their Premier League campaign with a 2-0 home win over Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium. The victory gave Moyes a winning start in the club’s new ground and set an early marker for the season ahead.
With two goals and a clean sheet, Everton took maximum points from their first fixture. The performance also carried extra significance given the club’s recent record on opening weekends, which this update covers in more detail below.
Dewsbury-Hall and Barry score in opening win
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall broke the deadlock before half-time, giving Everton the lead they would not surrender. The goal settled early nerves inside the stadium and put Palace on the back foot heading into the interval.
Thierno Barry then doubled Everton’s advantage just eight minutes into the second half. His finish effectively ended the contest as a spectacle, leaving Palace chasing the game for the remaining period and unable to find a way back.
Together, the two goals gave Everton control from before the break through to the final whistle, with the away side rarely threatening a response.
Moyes hands debuts to new signings
David Moyes used the opening fixture to introduce several new faces to Premier League football. Hayden Hackney and Tyrique George both made their top-flight debuts for Everton, while Harrison Armstrong started the match in central midfield.
Merlin Röhl was selected at right-back, a change from his more familiar midfield role, and new signing Brennan Johnson began the game on the bench against his former club before being introduced later on.
The afternoon was overshadowed by a serious injury to Palace defender Chadi Riad, who was stretchered off after sustaining a leg injury while attempting to block a cross. The extent of the injury and any recovery timeline have not been confirmed, and no further detail is available at this stage.
Everton vs Palace: Full match result and line-up summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Result | Everton 2-0 Crystal Palace |
| Venue | Hill Dickinson Stadium |
| Goalscorers | Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall (before half-time), Thierno Barry (8 minutes into second half) |
| Premier League debuts | Hayden Hackney, Tyrique George |
| Notable selections | Harrison Armstrong (central midfield), Merlin Röhl (right-back), Brennan Johnson (substitute) |
| Injury news | Chadi Riad (Crystal Palace) stretchered off with a serious leg injury |
The line-up choices reflected Moyes’ willingness to blend experience with fresh options, handing debuts to Hackney and George while trusting Armstrong and Röhl in unfamiliar or expanded roles. Johnson’s introduction from the bench against his old club added further interest to a debut-heavy afternoon.
What happens next
The 2-0 win was Everton’s first opening-day victory since 2021, ending a run of four consecutive opening-day defeats in which the team had failed to score. That context makes the result more than just three points on the board.
For a wider look at how the squad and stadium have developed since this fixture, supporters can follow our coverage of recent developments at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Full details of the match itself, including build-up and early reaction, remain available in our original match coverage.
No confirmed information is yet available on Riad’s recovery timeline or on further changes to Everton’s line-up beyond what was seen against Palace. This page will be updated again once verified details emerge.
