A trio of Toffees players looked on in utter bewilderment as Chris Kavanagh reviewed a challenge from Dominic Calvert-Lewin on Nathaniel Clyne during Everton and Palace’s cup clash on January 4, where the striker went in high but seemingly avoided doing serious damage to his opponent.
Nevertheless, Kavanagh questionably saw fit to whip out the red card – which would be the headline story of that 0-0 affair in the English capital – but the Eagles failed to make the most of playing the final 15 minutes with an extra man on the pitch.
Everton have since succeeded with an appeal against Calvert-Lewin’s sending off, which added yet more fuel to the fire over the perpetual VAR debate, but it was Sean Dyche‘s men who were on the correct end of a technological call during another goalless stalemate with Aston Villa in the weekend’s Premier League battle.
Alex Moreno and Abdoulaye Doucoure both had strikes ruled out for offside on the Goodison turf – the former’s took much longer to review, and while that point snapped Everton’s three-game losing run in the Premier League, it is now no wins in six for Dyche and co.
Everton have seemingly fallen back into old attacking habits too, as the Toffees are now without a goal in three straight matches, but they have triumphed in each of their last four FA Cup replays at Goodison Park and have not been beaten in such circumstances since 1993-94
Despite being stretchered off the field with what was feared to be a serious ankle injury against Crystal Palace, Dwight McNeil was surprisingly fit enough to make the bench on Sunday and even came on for a 30-minute cameo against Aston Villa.
Calvert-Lewin is, of course, available after his punishment was rescinded, but Dele Alli (groin) and Ashley Young (knock) will spend a bit longer in the medical bay, while Idrissa Guess is on Africa Cup of Nations duty and Seamus Coleman (hamstring) is a fresh doubt.
The fit-again McNeil ought to come into contention for a start given the rapid turnaround, which should also boost Beto and Andre Gomes‘s hopes of some valuable minutes. In between the sticks, meanwhile, Joao Virginia should replace Jordan Pickford.
With no Premier League commitments for Palace to factor in over the weekend, Hodgson will likely be working with the same group of players from their Selhurst Park stalemate, and the pairing of Rob Holding (ankle) and Sam Johnstone (calf) should not be too far away from returns.
However, there is still no official timeframe on Michael Olise‘s recovery from a hamstring problem – although he is expected to miss the rest of the month – while Cheick Doucoure (ankle) and Joel Ward (thigh) are still absent too, but Jesurun Rak-Sakyi (thigh) might return.
Jordan Ayew‘s departure for the Africa Cup of Nations also allowed Matheus Franca to make his maiden Palace start against Everton in the first encounter, but Hodgson conceded that the 19-year-old would not have been pleased with his 71-minute performance.
STREAM LINKS >>> Stream 1 Stream 2 Stream 3
Everton possible starting lineup:
Virginia; Patterson, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Harrison, Onana, Garner, Gomes, McNeil; Calvert-Lewin
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Henderson; Clyne, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell; Lerma, Richards, Hughes; Eze, Mateta, Schlupp
