It was a frustrating afternoon for Everton as they let a lead slip not once, but twice, in a 2-2 draw against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. The result deals a significant blow to their European aspirations, leaving fans wondering what might have been after such a promising start.

The Blues came into this match with real momentum, having won their previous three encounters against Palace by the same 2-1 scoreline. Sitting on 48 points in 10th place, a victory here would have been crucial for keeping their European dreams alive. David Moyes, opting for consistency after the chaos of the Manchester City match, named an unchanged starting XI.

The early signs were promising. Everton looked sharp from the kickoff, with some crisp passing between Ndiaye and Dewsbury-Hall setting the tone. It wasn't long before they made the breakthrough. Two quick corners from KDH led to the opener—the second delivery was flicked on by Keane to Tarkowski, who calmly used his right foot to slot the ball into the near corner. The away end erupted, and the "Spirit of the Blues" echoed around the stadium.

But Palace, with their eyes on an upcoming Conference League final, showed they weren't just here to make up the numbers. They pushed for an immediate response, and a long cross into the box forced a solid defensive header from Keane. The hosts kept coming, though, and a brilliant save from Pickford kept Everton ahead. At the other end, Henderson matched him with an equally impressive stop to deny KDH on the counter.

Despite the early promise, the familiar pattern of dropped points emerged. The Blues couldn't hold onto their lead, and Palace capitalized to earn a share of the spoils. For Everton, it's another case of "what if?" as their European hopes continue to fade. The fight isn't over yet, but performances like this will need to be turned into wins if they want to keep the dream alive.