Everton boss Roberto Martinez has stressed he remains encouraged about his side’s chances of securing a top-four Premier League finish despite their damaging 3-2 home loss to Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
Avoiding defeat would have seen the Champions League-chasing Toffees move back above Arsenal into fourth place, and a win would have re-established them a two-point cushion over the Gunners.
But instead they remain fifth, a point behind Arsenal with both clubs having four games left.
Everton play Manchester United at home on Sunday and also have to host Manchester City, while their other matches are at Southampton and Hull.
Arsenal, whose goal difference is inferior to Everton’s by three, face Newcastle and West Brom at home and have away clashes with Hull and Norwich.
Martinez said: “I don’t think Arsenal will get full points between now and the end of the season.
“When you are one point away from them with a goal difference in our favour, it still very much relies on what we do. I truly believe it will be in our hands.
“We are in a very good position. If you look at it after the weekend (when Everton were two points ahead of Arsenal in fourth), it is a disappointment, but if you had looked at this at the start of the season, you’d think it is a magnificent position.
“It is a unique challenge and opportunity. We are excited from that point of view.
“And the way we finished the second half, it gives me great encouragement.”
Palace deservedly went 1-0 up through Jason Puncheon’s first-half strike and then 2-0 ahead early in the second half when the unmarked Scott Dann nodded in.
Substitute Steven Naismith reduced the deficit before Cameron Jerome’s effort made it 3-1, and Kevin Mirallas then slotted home in the 86th minute, but Everton’s late pressure could not salvage them a point.
Martinez, whose team were previously on a seven-game top-flight winning run, said: “It is a reaction of disappointment because the result is a hurtful one, especially with the expectations we had and the real desire that we brought into the game.
“I thought in the first half we wanted to win so much that we forgot about the simple basics that you need to do to win a football game.
“The way we defended carried somehow a bit of fear and that left us a bit exposed.”
Palace now look safe, with this win - their fourth in a row - taking them up to 11th and 40 points, 10 clear of the relegation zone.
And their manager Tony Pulis, who succeeded Ian Holloway in November, said: “I started at Hull and we had four points. Now we have 40.
“It is a remarkable achievement from the players - they have been absolutely fantastic.
“It is nice to say we are going to be a Premier League club next year with four games to go.”
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Pens: Carey 3
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
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Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
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JAPANESE GRAND PRIX INFO
Schedule (All times UAE)
First practice: Friday, 5-6.30am
Second practice: Friday, 9-10.30am
Third practice: Saturday, 7-8am
Qualifying: Saturday, 10-11am
Race: Sunday, 9am-midday
Race venue: Suzuka International Racing Course
Circuit Length: 5.807km
Number of Laps: 53
Watch live: beIN Sports HD
Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
- Join parent networks
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Women's squad: Hamda Al Shekheili, Shouq Al Dhanhani, Balqis Abdullah, Sharifa Al Namani, Asma Al Hosani, Maitha Sultan, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Maha Al Hanaei, Shamma Al Kalbani, Haya Al Jahuri, Mahra Mahfouz, Marwa Al Hosani, Tasneem Al Jahoori and Maryam Al Amri
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Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
Match info
Manchester United 4
(Pogba 5', 33', Rashford 45', Lukaku 72')
Bournemouth 1
(Ake 45 2')
Red card: Eric Bailly (Manchester United)
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
