- Michy Batshuayi came off the bench to salvage a point for Crystal Palace late on
- The Belgian striker levelled in the 85th minute after James Rodriguez’s opener
Mitchy Batshuayi came off the bench to earn the traveling London side a vital point at Goodison Park on Monday night.
While a draw virtually guarantees another season of Premier League football in south London, it represented another dreadful home result for Carlo Ancelotti’s Everton who had gone ahead through the returning James Rodriguez and saw other chances squandered by misfiring strikers Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison.
Returning from injury, Everton’s James Rodriguez had given the Toffees a deserved lead with a superb right-footed strike in the 56th minute.
Palace substitute Michy Batshuayi equalised in the 86th minute, placing the ball beyond Robin Olsen into the bottom corner.
After top-four rivals Chelsea, Leicester and Tottenham all dropped points over the weekend, the door was open for Everton to continue their push for Champions League qualification.
Victory would have taken the Toffees to within three points of fourth place, but a lapse in concentration allowed Batshuayi to race through and net the leveller.
The result leaves Everton eighth, five points off fourth-placed West Ham having played one game fewer.
Palace’s safety is all but guaranteed, the draw leaving them 12 points clear of the bottom three with eight games remaining.
