Burnham’s boys enjoy visit from Palace as Everton ease to opening day win
Everton secured a victory against Crystal Palace in their Premier League opener, despite missing key squad additions. The match was attended by UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham, who offered a good luck message to manager David Moyes.
Why it matters
The involvement of high-level political figures in football management discussions highlights the cultural significance of the sport in the UK.
Palace could only watch as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s first-half finish flew into the corner. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images/Reuters Palace could only watch as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s first-half finish flew into the corner. Photograph: Jason Cairnduff/Action Images/Reuters Premier League Burnham’s boys enjoy visit from Palace as Everton ease to victory in opener Andy Hunter at Hill Dickinson Stadium Sat 22 Aug 2026 12.12 EDT Last modified on Sat 22 Aug 2026 18.04 EDT Share Prefer the Guardian on Google Andy Burnham was in the posh seats to see how his beloved Everton would fare without the key additions that even the prime minister has voiced an opinion on. No right-back, no new centre-forward, no problem: Everton contained enough quality to overcome a wasteful Crystal Palace .
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