Everton v Crystal Palace: Full lineups announced for Premier League 2026-27 opener
Everton and Crystal Palace have confirmed their starting lineups for the Premier League Matchday 1 fixture at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool on Saturday, August 22, 2026. The match is the first game of the 2026-27 season for both clubs.
The fixture is the season opener for both sides, with David Moyes named among the 11 head coaches who remained in their jobs at the start of the season. Everton finished 13th last season after two campaigns spent fighting relegation. James Tarkowski will captain the hosts, while new signing Christian Norgaard is out with a muscle injury. Brennan Johnson, who joined from Crystal Palace, is in line to play against his former club; Crystal Palace are managed by new head coach Pierre Sage and have won only once in their last 23 top-flight meetings with Everton.
Everton’s starting XI was announced as: Jordan Pickford; Merlin Rohl, James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, Vitaly Mykolenko; Harrison Armstrong, Hayden Hackney; Iliman Ndiaye, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tyrique George; Thierno Barry. The substitutes named were: Mark Travers (gk), Jake O’Brien, Michael Keane, Nathan Patterson, Charly Alcaraz, James Garner, Beto, Brennan Johnson, Tyler Dibling. The club shared the lineup on social media with the message: "Your Toffees to start the season against @CPFC! 👊#EVECRY 🔵 #UTFT pic.twitter.com/A4EOaBCwTR".
Crystal Palace’s starting XI was listed as: Dean Henderson; Jaydee Canvod, Chris Richards, Chadi Riad; Daniel Munoz, Daichi Kamada, Adam Wharton, Tyrick Mitchell; Eddie Nketiah, Dwight McNeil; Jean-Philippe Mateta. Palace’s bench reads: Walter Benitez (gk), Yeremy Pino, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Will Hughes, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Borna Sosa, Anan Khalaili, Evann Guessand, Oscar Mingueza. The club posted the selection with the caption: "The Palace XI taking on Everton ✊".
The Matchday 1 fixture will be played on Saturday, August 22, 2026. In India, the match will kick off at 7:30 PM IST and will be played at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, England. For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.
Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.
The Matchday 1 fixture will be played on Saturday, August 22, 2026.
