Mark Lawrenson predicts result of Everton clash v Crystal Palace in FA Cup
By Anubhav Sarker
Everton finally broke their four-match losing streak with a fighting performance against in-form Newcastle United during the week.
They will look to build on that when they play Crystal Palace in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. A win could boost their morale furthermore and set the platform for a good finish to the campaign.
Mark Lawrenson has given his thoughts on the upcoming game on the BBC Sport website, predicting a 1-0 win for Palace.
He said: “You could argue Everton don’t need the distraction of the FA Cup while they are struggling at the bottom of the Premier League table, but I actually think another win would do them the world of good before they sign off for the international break.
“Everything was going wrong for Everton until their last-gasp winner against Newcastle on Thursday, so this is a chance for them to build some more confidence. There is no way Frank Lampard will field a weakened team after that result because he has had enough bad news without bringing more on himself.
“This is still a very tough tie, though, no matter who Lampard picks.
“Crystal Palace have lost only one of their past nine games in all competitions and we saw against Manchester City on Monday just how hard they are to beat.
“FA Cup runs are rare for the Eagles – they lost in the final in 2016 but before then 1995 was the last time they made the last four. With Everton so poor on their travels, this is a great chance for Patrick Vieira’s side to progress that far.”
A potential Wembley visit on the cards
Despite all their troubles this season, Everton could still make a trip to Wembley with a victory over Palace on Sunday.
Frank Lampard is no stranger to a big occasion and his sole aim will be to get the players focused and ready for a potentially season-defining match.
Beat the Eagles, and Everton sign off before the international break with a win, a spot in the FA Cup semis, and high morale going into the back end of the Premier League season. Lose and any bit of momentum generated after the Newcastle game will be lost.
If they can show the fight, determination, and spirit shown against Newcastle United, a victory over Palace isn’t beyond the realms of possibility.
Lampard will hope he can get a tune out of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison, the two standout players in that squad.
For the players, if there was ever a time to stand up and make themselves count, Sunday against Palace would be the perfect moment for that.
In other Everton news, Richard Keys wants the Blues to build a squad around this up-and-coming youngster.
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