Ireland star James McCarthy sees red but Everton hold Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace 0 Everton 0: Crystal Palace wasted the chance to climb clear of the Premier League’s relegation zone after drawing 0-0 at home to Everton’s 10 men.

James McCarthy’s dismissal early in the second half presented a fine opportunity to secure the three points that would have taken their season’s total to 40 and almost certainly have secured survival, but instead they remain on 38, and in 16th place, ahead of difficult fixtures with Arsenal and Manchester United.

After Saturday’s 1-0 defeat of Norwich had given them their first league victory of 2016, Palace manager Alan Pardew had spoken of his hope that his players would shed the nerves he believes have recently undermined them, and so early on it looked likely to prove that way.