ANSWER THE CAL’
DOMINIC Calvert-Lewin may not be the fourth emergency service — but James Tarkowski reckons he can still ride to Everton’s rescue.
Repair and breakdowns is something of a Calvert-Lewin speciality, but it’s the recovery to a smooth road ahead that interests Everton fans now they have dropped into the relegation zone.
They are there on goal difference, which makes sense since Everton are the lowest scorers in the Premier League.
Calvert-Lewin didn’t wear a high-vis jacket, but he did almost fix the mechanics of a spluttering game with a brilliant turn before firing just wide.
It was the striker’s first start since early February after a groin injury and although he has scored only once all season, he could be a crucial figure in their run-in.
“We know how good he can be, but he’s had a tough time with injuries,” said Tarkowski of the striker who scored 25 goals the season before last.
“Dom needs to stay fit, get the minutes in, and then we’ll see the
Dominic Calvert-Lewin that everyone knows.
“It’s been difficult for him, so people have to be patient. That turn he did before the shot was a flash of what Dom is about. If he stays fit, then we’ll see a lot more of that kind of thing.”
Everton boss Sean Dyche is hoping the patience shown with CalvertLewin will pay off over the final six matches of the campaign.
The manager revealed the 26-yearold might have come back sooner, but the price could well have been another spell on the hard shoulder.
“It seems the previous process here was ‘get him fit, put him back in the team’. But we can’t keep doing that because it hasn’t worked,” said Dyche.
“Therefore, give the lad a chance. There’s still no guarantees because it’s the human body but I think you can push the margins your way and that’s what we’ve looked to do with him.
“He’s worked very hard and he brings lots of different qualities — physical prowess, his aerial ability — and he will only get sharper.”
At least against Palace, they seemed to show they have got their defensive issues sorted with a resolute, defiant performance, particularly when they went down to 10 men for the final 15 minutes.
Denied
A tough challenge by Mason
Holgate meant a second yellow card but some backbone from Tarkowski, Michael Keane and Jordan Pickford kept free-scoring Palace at bay, with the help of an offside call that denied Eberechi Eze.
Meanwhile, Roy Hodgson has not ruled out staying on as Crystal Palace manager next season — at the start of which he will be 76.
Hodgson has a devil-may-care attitude to the future and showed an impressive musical knowledge to underline his readiness to continue.
“It’s like that famous old Kris Kristofferson song (Help Me Make It Through the Night) - ‘Let the devil take tomorrow . . .”
This was not a match to add to anyone’s playlist, but it was another point that edges Palace towards almost certain safety.
Job done, then, for Hodgson who says chairman Steve Parish has not formally thanked him yet for an extraordinary impact of 10 points from four games.
“No, but he will at the end of the year when he pays me, I guess. That will be more than thanks enough.
“I have a contract until the end of the season and that’s all that interests me. I’ve got six more games and I don’t want to lose them. That’s the only thought in my mind.”
CRySTAL PALACE: Johnstone, Ward, Andersen, Guehi, Mitchell, Eze, Doucoure (Milivojevic 78), Schlupp (Hughes 71), Olise,
Edouard (Mateta 71), Ayew.
EvERTON: Pickford, Holgate, Keane, Tarkowski, Mykolenko, Garner, Gueye, Gray (Godfrey 81), Iwobi, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin (Maupay 90).
Ref: John Brooks