Bernard, Richarlison and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored the goals to lift Everton to seventh, which could be enough to claim a Europa League berth.

"This is the target, since I arrived the team did a fantastic job, now we have a possibility to think about Europa League," Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti said on Saturday.

Bernard put Everton ahead on 18 minutes and though Christian Benteke equalised six minutes into the second half, Richarlison restored Everton's lead and Calvert-Lewin made sure of the points with the third goal late on.

"It was an important result," Ancelotti said.

"We climbed the table and that's the most important thing.

"In the 30 days since I arrived here I have to be happy. The players and staff did a fantastic job but the Europa League has to be the target."

Palace manager Roy Hodgson described it as "a cruel defeat in many ways".

"The first 25 minutes was tame from both teams, but towards the end of the half we showed more confidence and got on the ball better," he said.

"The way we started the second was half really good and the equaliser was a result of the control we had.

"The second goal came when we were pushing...(and) the third killed it off. I can't fault the players' effort, but it's another defeat and another where we go home without points despite the fact we didn't play that badly and perhaps deserved something."

In the day's only other match, as many teams had the week off for the first-ever Premier League mid-season break, Watford missed their chance to move out of the relegation zone after being held to a 1-1 draw at Brighton.

Abdoulaye Doucoure put Watford in front on 19 minutes but an own goal by Adrian Mariappa sealed a point for the hosts.

The result leaves Watford second-bottom, but now just one point from safety, while Brighton are three places and three points above the bottom three.

Australian Associated Press