Two late goals gave Everton a second win in a row in the Premier League and pushed them up to eighth in the table.
They beat Crystal Palace 2-0 at Goodison Park with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring three minutes from time and Cenk Tosun adding a second two minutes later to make the game safe.
However, it could have been very different had Roy Hodgson's team converted a penalty when the score was still 0-0.
Everton had the first chance of note just before the half hour, Seamus Coleman finding Gylfi Sigurdsson in the box but Palace keeper Wayne Hennessey did well to tip it over the bar.
Palace responded with Wilfried Zaha instrumental, beating two men and feeding Andros Townsend who crossed but James Tomkins headed wide.
The visitors went even closer minutes later, hitting the woodwork, Cheikhou Kouyate heading against the bar with Jordan Pickford beaten.
The game was goalless at the break but, despite Everton starting the second half on top, it was the visitors who should have opened the scoring on the hour mark.
They were awarded a penalty when Coleman was adjudged to have fouled Zaha in the box but Luka Milivojevic missed from the spot, Pickford keeping the shot out with his legs.
Palace were made to pay for the miss late in the game when Calvert-Lewin got on the end of a cross from Ademola Lookman and headed home.
Palace pushed men forward in search of an equaliser but the Toffees made the game safe with a breakaway, Michael Keane punting the ball forward and Tosun controlled and scored.
The win moves Everton up to eighth in the Premier League while Palace are 15th, just two points clear of the bottom three.
Everton, 8/1 to finish in the top six, go in search of a third successive win next Sunday away to Manchester United. They are 9/2 for the win with United 8/13 and the draw 11/4.
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Two late goals gave Everton a second win in a row in the Premier League and pushed them up to eighth in the table.
They beat Crystal Palace 2-0 at Goodison Park with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring three minutes from time and Cenk Tosun adding a second two minutes later to make the game safe.
However, it could have been very different had Roy Hodgson's team converted a penalty when the score was still 0-0.
Everton had the first chance of note just before the half hour, Seamus Coleman finding Gylfi Sigurdsson in the box but Palace keeper Wayne Hennessey did well to tip it over the bar.
Palace responded with Wilfried Zaha instrumental, beating two men and feeding Andros Townsend who crossed but James Tomkins headed wide.
The visitors went even closer minutes later, hitting the woodwork, Cheikhou Kouyate heading against the bar with Jordan Pickford beaten.
The game was goalless at the break but, despite Everton starting the second half on top, it was the visitors who should have opened the scoring on the hour mark.
They were awarded a penalty when Coleman was adjudged to have fouled Zaha in the box but Luka Milivojevic missed from the spot, Pickford keeping the shot out with his legs.
Palace were made to pay for the miss late in the game when Calvert-Lewin got on the end of a cross from Ademola Lookman and headed home.
Palace pushed men forward in search of an equaliser but the Toffees made the game safe with a breakaway, Michael Keane punting the ball forward and Tosun controlled and scored.
The win moves Everton up to eighth in the Premier League while Palace are 15th, just two points clear of the bottom three.
Everton, 8/1 to finish in the top six, go in search of a third successive win next Sunday away to Manchester United. They are 9/2 for the win with United 8/13 and the draw 11/4.
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Source: bet365.com