Crystal Palace begin a new Premier League chapter on Saturday as Pierre Sage takes the Eagles to Everton for his first league game in charge.
For supporters travelling from Croydon and across South London to the Hill Dickinson Stadium, this is more than another opening day. It is the first proper opportunity to see what the next version of Crystal Palace will look like.
Palace enter the campaign after a season of extraordinary contrasts. European success provided memories that will live long in South London, but a 16th-place Premier League finish demonstrated why domestic improvement must now be a priority.
The Oliver Glasner era is over. Sage inherits a talented squad, an ambitious club and a Palace support which has grown accustomed to looking beyond simple Premier League survival.
Now he has to take them forward.
Palace Have The Quality To Hurt Everton
Everton away represents a difficult beginning, but Palace should travel with belief.
The sides drew 2-2 at Selhurst Park towards the end of last season, with Ismaïla Sarr and Jean-Philippe Mateta scoring for Palace.
That game provided evidence that Everton can be hurt.
Sarr could again be particularly important.
Everton manager David Moyes wants his side to play with greater control and attacking ambition this season. If that means committing more players forward, Palace should find opportunities on the transition.
Few players are better equipped to exploit those spaces than Sarr.
Palace need to get the ball to him quickly and give Everton’s defenders something to think about in the opposite direction.
Wharton Could Hold The Key
Adam Wharton could be equally important.
Moyes has made clear that he wants Everton to control matches more effectively, meaning the battle in central midfield could determine much of Saturday’s contest.
Palace cannot afford to spend the afternoon camped around their own penalty area.
Wharton’s composure and ability to progress possession can provide the Eagles with a route through Everton’s pressure and allow Sage’s attacking players to operate higher up the pitch.
If Palace can establish periods of possession rather than simply defending and counter-attacking, they have enough ability to make this an extremely uncomfortable opening afternoon for Everton.
Palace Must Contain Ndiaye
The obvious danger at the other end is Iliman Ndiaye.
Moyes spoke glowingly about the Everton forward on Friday amid speculation surrounding his future and made it clear that he has no desire to lose him.
The Everton manager said Ndiaye’s return to the group raised the standard of training by “a couple of levels” and described him as providing “a little bit of magic dust”.
Palace must prevent him from finding space between midfield and defence.
Allow Ndiaye to receive the ball facing goal and Everton have someone capable of turning an ordinary attacking situation into a dangerous one within seconds.
Stopping the supply to him will be just as important as defending him individually.
Moyes Wants More Goals
Everton’s intentions are hardly a secret.
“We’ve not scored enough goals,” Moyes admitted during his pre-match press conference.
He wants more from his wide players and forwards and believes adding goals throughout the side represents the next stage of Everton’s development.
He also wants more control of matches after feeling Everton lost some of that quality during the second half of last season.
Palace should therefore expect an aggressive start.
The opening 20 minutes could be crucial.
Everton will have a large home crowd behind them and will want to establish momentum immediately. Palace need to quieten the stadium, retain possession when possible and avoid giving away unnecessary set pieces.
The longer Sage’s side remain comfortable, the more pressure shifts towards the hosts.
A Record Palace Need To Change
One concern is Palace’s record against Everton.
The Toffees have become something of a problem opponent for the Eagles, with Palace’s last Premier League away victory in this fixture coming back in 2014.
It is a sequence Sage will want to end.
New managers need early evidence that their ideas are working and taking three points from Merseyside would provide an immediate lift.
Palace should not approach the game simply hoping to survive.
There is enough talent in this squad to win.
Sage Faces The Premier League’s Ultimate Veteran
There is also a fascinating contrast in the dugouts.
Sage begins his Premier League career against a manager entering his remarkable 23rd season in the competition.
Even Moyes seemed surprised when reminded of the statistic on Friday.
“23 seasons? Flipping heck,” he said.
Moyes has watched generations of managers come and go and acknowledged this week that some of the Premier League’s new coaches will flourish while others will inevitably “go by the wayside”.
Sage will be determined to establish himself among those who succeed.
Facing one of the division’s most experienced managers is quite an introduction.
Palace Must Look Higher
Whatever happens on Saturday, Palace’s objective for the season should extend well beyond survival.
Last season’s 16th-place finish cannot become the standard for a club possessing this level of talent.
Palace have experienced major occasions, silverware and European football. The next stage is producing greater consistency across a Premier League season.
There is no reason this squad should not be looking towards the middle and upper half of the table if Sage can find the right balance.
That means taking more from games such as Saturday’s.
Promising performances have to become points.
Draws have to become victories.
And frustrating records against clubs such as Everton have to be broken.
South London Heads North
Palace supporters will travel from across South London on Saturday wondering what the Sage era will bring.
Everton’s new stadium provides a spectacular setting for its first Premier League examination.
The hosts will be favourites and Moyes will expect improvement after Everton’s own European challenge faded late last season.
But Palace have weapons.
Wharton can influence the midfield.
Sarr can expose space.
Mateta can occupy defenders.
And Sage has the opportunity to make an immediate statement.
The challenge is to retain the aggression and identity that Palace supporters recognise while introducing the new manager’s ideas.
Last season demonstrated what Crystal Palace can achieve on the big occasion.
This season must be about doing it more consistently.
The next chapter starts on Merseyside.
And for the Palace supporters making the long journey north, three points would be the perfect thing to bring back to South London.
Everton v Crystal Palace
Premier League | Saturday, 22 August 2026
Hill Dickinson Stadium | 3pm
