Everton survived an early scare to beat Crystal Palace at the Hill Dickinson Stadium and win their opening game of the Premier League season for the first time in five years.

Goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Thierno Barry either side of half-time were enough to earn the Blues their earliest victory in a new campaign since Rafa Benitez guided them to a 3-1 win over Southampton in August 2021.

It was also the first time in eight Premier League matches that David Moyes' side had tasted victory, following a bleak seven-match winless run at the end of last season.

For Palace, the defeat for new manager Pierre Sage, who oversaw RC Lens' impressive Ligue 1 campaign last season, means he becomes the 15th manager to have lost their first Premier League match in charge of the Eagles.

Before a ball had been kicked on Merseyside, Palace were facing an uphill battle as they were without last season's top scorer Ismaila Sarr.

The 28-year-old forward, who netted 21 times across all competitions last term to help Palace win the Conference League, was not included in the travelling squad by Sage as he continues to be linked with a move to Turkish side Galatasaray.

The Eagles were left ruing Sarr's absence with less than four minutes on the clock when Jean-Philippe Mateta blazed over from inside the area after Eddie Nketiah latched on to a weak defensive header from James Tarkowski.

Everton responded by almost taking the lead eight minutes later when Dewsbury-Hall slipped the ball through to makeshift full-back Merlin Rohl, who teed up Iliman Ndiaye to fire straight at Dean Henderson.

It was a cruel introduction to the Premier League for Sage, who watched on in disbelief as Nketiah and Mateta struck the woodwork before Dewsbury-Hall arrowed a strike into the far corner to put the home side ahead three minutes before the break.

It took Everton only eight minutes of the second half to double their advantage, with Thierno Barry heading past Henderson from close range after a wicked cross from Ndiaye.

The afternoon went from bad to worse for Palace midway through the second half when defender Chadi Riad was carried off on a stretcher after appearing to suffer a serious knee injury.

It has taken the best part of 12 months, but Everton are finally starting to feel at home at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

On the eve of the new Premier League season, Blues manager Moyes likened his side's first season at their new, state-of-the-art home on the banks of the River Mersey, which produced only six wins from 19 Premier League games, to a room in a new house that only had the wallpaper up.

But by the end of this impressive opening-day performance, which didn't come without its frights, Moyes can surely start to feel as though wins are starting to become part of the furniture of Everton's new household.

It was far from an ideal start for Everton, who are still without a natural right-back, but the performances of Dewsbury-Hall, mixed in with a couple of magnificent saves from Pickford, were enough to help them navigate a difficult first half, in which Nketiah and Mateta struck the post for Palace.

By the time the full-time whistle sounded on Merseyside, there was a feeling of both optimism and excitement about what this season could look like for Moyes' side if they are able to add one or two players to their squad before the window closes.

When the Crystal Palace players and staff trudged off the pitch, Sage cut a deflated figure.

Saturday afternoon had provided the Frenchman with a brutal introduction to life as a Premier League manager and to the fine margins that can decide games.

On another day, perhaps one where Sarr was available for selection, it might have been Palace who were dancing and celebrating their way back to the dressing room.

But for a number of reasons, particularly the width of the post, it was not to be for Palace or for Sage.

For all the success Palace have enjoyed over the last 12 months, winning three trophies, including the FA Cup, even the most optimistic of supporters would have been prepared for a period of transition following the exit of Oliver Glasner.

Add to that the departure of defender Maxence Lacroix and the possibility of Sarr leaving before the transfer window closes, and Palace will do well to replicate the success they enjoyed in 2025 and 2026.