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(Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images) Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has hailed Harrison Armstrong after the teenager's impressive performance against Crystal Palace, and said he's excited about the midfield partnership he is developing with Armstrong and Hayden Hackney. Everton produced a strong showing on the opening weekend to secure a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Dewsbury-Hall fired home the first goal, before Thierno Barry nodded in a second to seal the three points. Dewsbury-Hall was named the club's official Man of the Match, though the 27-year-old was one of several standouts, including Armstrong and debutant Hackney. The midfielder was quick to compliment the pair for their performances in an important win. "I thought they were exceptional. It was Hayden’s Premier League debut, and he looked at home. Harrison is 19 years old but plays way beyond his years. He’s got some engine on him, and won’t stop running. He’s got that Everton spirit as well, which I love," he told evertonfc.com. "So, yes, we’ve had a great little partnership in pre-season, and it’s bubbling along nicely. I'm really happy for both of them because it's important to get off to a good start. And they certainly did. "I thought Tyrique on the wing was very reliable on the ball, too. That’s what you want as players and as a team, so I’m buzzing for many of the lads out there today." Dewsbury-Hall's opener was arguably his best strike in an Everton shirt so far, and the midfielder hopes it can be the start of a productive season around goal. "Look, I know I have that quality. I saw a bit of a space on the edge of the box, and I thought, ‘Let me give it a try’. And to be fair, as soon as I hit it, I thought, ‘This has got a real chance’. And then a second later I'm celebrating. So I’m really happy to get off the mark. "I think everyone knows I want to continue scoring and assisting this year, so it's good on a personal level to be able to start straight away." Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer () Posted 23/08/2026 at 15:05:33 Let's hope that carries some weight with the Manager. Posted 23/08/2026 at 15:25:10 The manager that played him yesterday, Alan? Posted 23/08/2026 at 16:14:12 I like this kid... how we can keep hold of him? Posted 23/08/2026 at 16:19:19 I didn't realise it when he signed for us, but Dewsbury-Hall has had an incredible impact on our team. Thinking about the players we had previously who played in his position: Doucoure, Iwobi, Gomes, Sigurdsson, etc, without disrespecting their contributions, Dewsbury-Hall brings so much more quality than any of them. He and Norgaard and Garner are ideal senior players to bring on the likes of Armstrong, George, Hackney, Dibling, Rohl, etc. The future looks bright and blue at the moment! Posted 23/08/2026 at 16:58:31 He will develop into a top player, Armstrong. Just needs games. Posted 23/08/2026 at 17:30:28 It's really gonna be difficult to change that midfield trio of Armstrong, Dewsbury-Hall and Hackney. They all played well yesterday and deserved their places. Rohl may well develop into an up-and-down right-back and save us a few quid. I still think we need a penalty-box striker a la Andy Johnson... Signs are good. Posted 23/08/2026 at 18:33:49 Ajay @4, I don't think most people had any idea how good of a signing Dewsbury-Hall was when it was made. Nobody paid much attention to him at Leicester and then he didn't play much in the Premier League at Chelsea. But to your point: it's as much about leadership and heart as it is skill. The combination of all of the above is why many are calling on him, along with Garner and Branthwaite, to be our next captain. His signing is one of many reasons it's absurd that the current recruitment and leadership team gets so much shit. The jury is still out on Dibling and Aznou and Barry, but at least they're all young with resale value. Grealish was a huge part of keeping us stable last season. And we've also got Rohl, George and Hackney to form an under-25 core for the next few years to grow alongside Garner, Branthwaite, O'Brien and Pickford. Obviously, the naysayers will continue to point to right-back, and that's fair, so let's see what happens these next couple of weeks. And Armstrong... what a player he is and will be. Posted 23/08/2026 at 22:33:11 Or @2 the manager who played him. in February but hardly ever after. Posted 23/08/2026 at 23:04:53 KDH was under utilized at Chelsea for obvious reasons but at Leicester, I saw a cracking player. He didn't really fit into Leicester's style of play at the time but Chelsea obviously saw a player too. I'm just happy he eventually found his fit with us and as mentioned above, he's a perfect professional to bring on the likes of Armstrong & Hackney. Posted 23/08/2026 at 23:18:23 With us KDH has always shown an indefatigable, surging will to win. No pressure Keirnan, but I'm old enough to remember Bally, a Toffee legend, and you remind me of him. Well done sir! How to get rid of these ads and support TW © ToffeeWeb