Crystal Palace 0 Everton 0: Wilfried Zaha returns as Morgan Schneiderlin sent off in Selhurst Park stalemate

Wilfried Zaha came off the bench to make his first appearance since handing in a transfer request but could not inspire Crystal Palace as they were held to a goalless draw by 10-man Everton at Selhurst Park.

The Ivory Coast international started on the bench and came on with half an hour to go, but after Morgan Schneiderlin's red card for two bookable offences, the Eagles could not find a way past Jordan Pickford.

Palace could have easily been behind after just two minutes when Lucas Digne's cross was cleared out to Gylfi Sigurdsson and the Icelandic midfielder, usually so clinical in front of goal, sent his shot wide from 12 yards.

The Toffees were certainly on top in the early moments and had another chance to take the lead after a well-worked corner routine. Richarlison ran to the front post to meet Sigurdsson's short pass and his effort was cleared off the line by Christian Benteke.

With Benteke and Jordan Ayew struggling to impose themselves up front, Max Meyer and Andros Townsend took on the responsibility of creating chances and the German caused problems for Seamus Coleman down the left.

On the half-hour mark, Vicente Guaita was forced into action to deny Richarlison after Digne's cross was deflected into the Brazilian's path.

But Palace found their feet and enjoyed an encouraging spell towards the end of the half, with Meyer's deflected effort going over by a matter of inches before Scott Dann went close with a header from a corner.

Palace later denied Everton with yet another goal-line clearance. Digne's cross found Sigurdsson free in the area and the 29-year-old did everything right, beating Guaita but not Patrick van Aanholt, who hacked the ball away.

Roy Hodgson's men nearly punished Everton for not taking their chances as they fashioned two in the space of a minute.

Benteke slid in Ayew and the Ghanaian sprung the offside trap, but on the stretch he couldn't beat the onrushing Pickford.

Pickford was forced back into action moments later, blocking Meyer's shot at the far post after having very little to do up until that point.

Sensing an unlikely victory, Hodgson sent on Zaha for Ayew with under half an hour to make an impression, while Marco Silva introduced his new £27.5million teenage sensation Moise Kean.

But it was Schneiderlin who earned himself the spotlight. After a needless caution in the first half, the Frenchman caught Luka Milivojevic late from behind and referee Jon Moss pulled out a second yellow card.

Despite playing against 10 men, Palace rarely showed the attacking intent that might have been expected of them as the game fizzled out, although Zaha nearly set up fellow substitute Connor Wickham for a winner two minutes from time.

Given how the game started, Hodgson perhaps would have accepted the result with open arms, but this felt like a missed opportunity for all three points.

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