Paul Merson predicts Everton clash v Crystal Palace, insists they don’t need distraction

Paul Merson has backed Crystal Palace to ease past Everton in the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon this weekend.

The Toffees go to Selhurst Park after picking up a huge three points in the Premier League against Newcastle last night (17 March).

Sky Sports pundit, Merson, insisted that Everton still don’t need other distractions at this moment, and predicted it will finish 2-0 to the home side.

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Writing in his Sportskeeda prediction column, Merson admitted that he can’t see anything positive coming from this one.

“Everton just don’t need this game if I’m being honest,” he said. “Every year I look at them and be like they need a good cup run, but the first time it happens, they are in major trouble in the Premier League.

“That’s a shame because it’s taken them a long time to get to this position. Frank Lampard and co have much bigger problems right now, so I don’t give them a chance at all against an exciting Crystal Palace side under Patrick Vieira.”

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Not needed?

This may be a distraction from our Premier League schedule, but it could also hand us all the motivation needed to survive.

Frank Lampard will want to win as many games as possible, no matter which competition, and making it consecutive wins by beating Palace would be huge.

Imagine the confidence that would flow through the side if they had a semi-final at Wembley to look forward to in the future?

That is exactly what is needed, and with the international break coming up, going into that with a big win would be huge.

Beating Newcastle was huge, but it will mean nothing if we get smashed by Palace and revert into our old shell with no motivation.

Time to prove Merson and everyone else wrong once again.

In other Everton news, Simon Jordan has done his “homework” and has made a huge assertion on the threat of FFP sanctions

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