Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Everton's Tom Davies celebrates scoring their third goal REUTERS/Peter Powell
(Reuters) - Gylfi Sigurdsson, Oumar Niasse and Tom Davies were on target as Everton eased past Crystal Palace 3-1 on Saturday to climb to ninth in the Premier League table.
After a committed but low-quality first half ended goalless, Everton struck twice within six minutes after the break as Sigurdsson beat Wayne Hennessey with a deflected shot before Niasse's header doubled the advantage.
Midfielder Davies all but sealed the victory with a low finish in the 75th minute against a Palace side who showed little threat until Luka Milivojevic converted a late penalty after Ashley Williams handled the ball.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Everton's Wayne Rooney in action with Crystal Palace's Luka Milivojevic REUTERS/Peter Powell
Everton leapfrogged Bournemouth to climb to ninth on 34 points from 27 games and are within two points of out-of-form Burnley in seventh. Palace are 14th with 27 points.
"We have to look at our home record and that is where the mainstay of our season lies," Everton manager Sam Allardyce told the BBC.
"In the eight home games I have been here, we have picked up 17 points and conceded just four goals. We are getting it right, entertaining the fans and getting the result."
Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Everton's Oumar Niasse in action with Crystal Palace’s Timothy Fosu-Mensah Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
Everton's quest to climb the table has been hindered by their form away from Goodison Park with only the bottom three of Stoke City, West Bromwich Abion and Huddersfield Town possessing a worse record.
"The unfortunate away form is causing us the problems," Allardyce added. "Goodison Park has always been a strong place to play, the supporters get behind you.
"Away from home it has been a longstanding problem. It is something we have to try and turn around. Now we can relax and enjoy the result. We got 3-0 up and the pressure was off. Even when they scored their penalty, we were not under too much pressure.
Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Everton's Seamus Coleman in action with Crystal Palace's Christian Benteke Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
"The Everton fans will wake up and be happy to see where we are, only two points off seventh."
(Reporting by Tom Hayward, editing by Ed Osmond)
Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Everton's Gylfi Sigurdsson takes a freekick REUTERS/Peter Powell Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Everton's Oumar Niasse in action with Crystal Palace's Wayne Hennessey Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Everton's Theo Walcott Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Everton's Seamus Coleman in action with Crystal Palace's Alexander Sorloth Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Crystal Palace's James Tomkins and Wayne Hennessey in action with Everton's Eliaquim Mangala REUTERS/Peter Powell Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Crystal Palace's James McArthur in action with Everton's Jordan Pickford REUTERS/Peter Powell Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Everton's Gylfi Sigurdsson scores their first goal REUTERS/Peter Powell Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Everton's Oumar Niasse scores their second goal REUTERS/Peter Powell Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Crystal Palace's Alexander Sorloth in action with Everton's Jonjoe Kenny Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Crystal Palace's Alexander Sorloth in action with Everton's Ashley Williams Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Everton's Tom Davies scores their third goal REUTERS/Peter Powell Soccer Football - Premier League - Everton vs Crystal Palace - Goodison Park, Liverpool, Britain - February 10, 2018 Crystal Palace's James Tomkins, Timothy Fosu-Mensah and Wayne Hennessey look dejected after Everton's third goal Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith
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