Everton came back from 0-2 against Crystal Palace, escaped a nightmare that began at the beginning of the season and won 3-2 with a spectacular comeback with which he signed the mathematical salvation to avoid what would have been an agonizing duel last game against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
The men led by Franck Lampard finally breathed after a season to forget. They played with fire for 37 days and were about to burn. A defeat against Crystal Palace would have caused a more than likely debacle with a visit to Arsenal, who are still playing for a Champions League place and would have shown no mercy to their rival.
Everton also avoided a threat that became real for many minutes. The specter of 1951, the club’s final relegation to the British Second Division, loomed until the 85th minute, when Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored a decisive goal that sent the ‘Merseyside’ club’s fans into a frenzy.
Before, Everton, who will add his 119th season in the top flight of English football, had to wake up from a bad dream. Crystal Palace, who had nothing at stake other than the extra money for moving up the standings, surprised the crowd in a stadium that went into half-time very worried with a 0-2 deficit.
And that was able to get ahead on the scoreboard with a Richarlison free kick that hit the crossbar of the goal defended by Jack Butland. The Brazilian’s attempt could have changed the fate of the match, but the reality is that the Everton goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, was the first to collect the ball from the net of his goal because of a powerful header from Jean-Philippe Mateta, who He opened the scoring after 26 minutes.
The blow was great, because Lampard’s team was not playing badly. And, after Crystal Palace’s goal, he didn’t lose his composure either. But, even so, on a rebound inside the area, Jordan Ayew gave Everton the second blow, forced to reset at half-time to try to avoid a very dangerous defeat.
He had no choice and he succeeded. Necessity gave wings to Lampard’s team, who closed the gap through Michael Keane and harassed Palace until they equalized with fifteen minutes to go through Richarlison.
Then, he desperately went for the permanence goal and got the long-awaited prize almost at the buzzer, with a Calvert-Lewin header that ended the suffering of a club that brushed hell but touched glory and unleashed madness among the fans of ‘Merseyside’. Everton is in the First Division.
Now, the two clubs that will play for permanence on the last day will be Leeds United and Burnley. The first, with a disadvantage, in eighteenth place because of the point that Burnley got this Thursday in his visit to Aston Villa. With 35 units, the same as Leeds, it would be saved for now.
They will host Newcastle to close the season, while Jesse March’s team, with Júnior Firpo, Diego Llorente and Rodrigo Moreno, will have to beat Brentford away from home and wait for a puncture from their rival.
They expected help from Aston Villa, but they got it halfway. Emi Buendia, with a goal in the first minutes of the second half, countered Barnes’s penalty goal just before half-time for Burnley. The Argentine’s goal left Burnley groggy, who could have lost with a shot from Ollie Watkins that Nick Pope saved with one for pride.
Later, he stopped Bertrand Traoré with another great intervention and emerged as the hero of his team, who played five minutes with a man down due to the dismissal of Matthew Lowton. Still, he survived and will depend on himself to save himself on the final day.
The same result was achieved by Chelsea, which did not go beyond the draw at Stamford Bridge against Leicester (1-1). With a difference of 42 goals in favor for the 24 that Tottenham adds, they secured the point that was missing to seal third place.
He achieved it with a goal from Marcos Alonso, who signed his fifth goal in official competition of the course and has accumulated up to 25 in the Premier League since he signed for Chelsea. It could be the last of him. He could leave the club at the end of the course, clubs like Barcelona would be interested in taking over his services.
Perhaps he said goodbye to Stamford Bridge with one last serve, a great volley to take advantage of a serve from the other full-back, Reece James. The connection between the two was enough for Chelsea to counter James Maddison’s goal and to sign third place in the Premier League. Only Liverpool and City were better than Thomas Tuchel’s team.
