Crystal Palace 0-0 Everton: James McCarthy off in stalemate

Crystal Palace failed to break through 10-man Everton, who had James McCarthy sent-off, as they played out a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park

McCarthy was shown a second yellow card on 51 minutes for a deliberate block on Yannick Bolasie but Palace couldn't find a breakthrough despite the man advantage.

With eleven men on the pitch, Everton almost broke the deadlock when Ross Barkley hit the bar while Palace went close through Dwight Gayle, before substitute Emmanuel Adebayor almost scored with a late effort.

Palace started the better under the floodlights in south London and used the pace of Gayle to good effect in the early stages.

Some sloppy play from Barkley handed Wilfried Zaha possession and he found Gayle in the box on six minutes but turned his shot just wide of the post.

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Everton started to settle down after that chance and Seamus Coleman forced a smart save from Wayne Hennessey, who got down quickly to turn a close range volley around the post.

The Palace 'keeper had to be alert minutes later to block away a Romelu Lukaku effort from close range.

Gayle went even closer on 35 minutes but his acrobatic effort from 15 yards sailed just wide of the post before Ramiro Funes Mori narrowly escaped scoring an embarrassing own goal from a dangerous Zaha cross.

Barkley, who had been wasteful in possession, came to the party on 49 minutes with a cracking effort from 22 yards that rocketed back off the crossbar.

Everton were starting to take control of the game until McCarthy saw red on 51 minutes.

He had already been booked for a lunge on Yohan Cabaye in the first half when he deliberately stopped a Bolasie run with a crude body check. The Everton man could have few complaints when the second yellow was brandished.

Despite being a man down Everton still posed a threat and John Stones headed a presentable chance straight at Hennessey on 65 minutes.

Adebayor entered the fray four minutes later and from that moment Palace looked the more likely to break through.

Jason Puncheon mesmerised the Everton defence on 71 minutes with a silky Cruyff turn before firing a shot that had Robles stretching fully out to his left to palm away.

The Palace midfielder was now having a huge effect on the game and his cross on 74 minutes was headed over the bar from close range from Adebayor.

The two combined again in stoppage time but once again the striker couldn't make a match-winning contact as Everton held out to slightly ease the pressure on manager Roberto Martinez. 

Player Ratings

Crystal Palace: Hennessey (7), Ward (6), Dann (6), Delaney (6), Souare (6), Zaha (6), Cabaye (6), Jedinak (7), Puncheon (8), Bolasie (7), Gayle (7)

Subs: Sako (6), Adebayor (6), Wickham (6)

Everton: Joel (7), Baines (7), Funes Mori (6), Stones (7), Coleman (7), Barry (6), McCarthy (4), Kone (6), Barkley (5), Lennon (6), Lukaku (6)

Subs: Oviedo (6), Mirallas (6), Besic (6)

Man of the match: Jason Puncheon