LONDON: Demarai Gray won a game for Everton on Monday. He was partially to blame for a defeat on Sunday.

Gray’s sloppy pass back into his own penalty area led to Conor Gallagher scoring the first of his two goals for Crystal Palace in their 3-1 Premier League victory over Everton. James Tomkins added the other for Palace while Salomon Rondon netted for the visitors.

Everton’s performance was lacklustre at Selhurst Park, so the 2-1 comeback win over Arsenal six days ago sealed by Gray’s stoppage-time wonder goal proved to be something of a false dawn.

Palace moved above Everton into 12th place, piling the pressure on Everton manager Rafael Benitez as his side lost for the seventh time in their last nine league games.

On-loan Chelsea midfielder Gallagher put Palace ahead in the 41st minute with his fifth goal this season. Gray gave away possession on the edge of his area and Jordan Ayew was first to the loose ball, squaring for Gallagher to fire home.

Benitez, already disliked by Everton fans after his spell in charge of Merseyside rivals Liverpool, saw his plunging popularity dip even further in the second half when he was booed for sending on Rondon to replace Richarlison.

The mood grew even more toxic among Everton’s travelling fans after Tomkins doubled Palace’s lead in the 61st minute. Tomkins poked in from close range after Everton made a hash of clearing Will Hughes’ corner.

Rondon got one back with his first Everton goal in the 70th minute, the striker slotting home after Joel Ward deflected Abdoulaye Doucoure’s shot into his path.

But Gallagher’s 20-yard curler in stoppage-time left Everton languishing seven points above the relegation zone.

“You cannot explain that all the time when the people are disappointed,” Benitez said of the angry Everton fans.

“It was a strange game. When we had control they scored. At the start of the second half another mistake from a corner. You cannot do that in the Premier League.”

Published in Dawn, December 14th, 2021