LIVERPOOL — Romelu Lukaku extended his red-hot streak as the Everton striker’s late equalizer rescued a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace Monday. Lukaku has been in superb form over the last month and Palace was unable to subdue the Belgium international, who poked home from close-range with nine minutes remaining at Goodison Park.
The former Chelsea star now has 50 goals in 100 appearances for Everton since first joining it on loan in 2013 before making what now looks a bargain £28 million ($42 million) permanent move a year later.
He has 14 goals in all competitions this season, with seven of that total coming in his last six matches.
Lukaku’s latest crucial intervention was well-timed, coming just five minutes after Palace defender Scott Dann had headed the visitors into the lead.
Everton moved up to ninth place in the Premier League in extending its unbeaten run to seven matches in all competitions, while Palace climbed to the lofty heights of sixth.
“I am proud but I’m a team performer, so I’m happy with the record but disappointed we didn’t get the three points,” Lukaku said of his goal milestone.
Everton had scored 10 in its last two home league matches, but if the watching Wayne Rooney was expecting another goal spree from his former club, the Manchester United captain was destined to leave disappointed. Instead he had to make do with appreciating the talents of the powerful Lukaku and his Everton teammate Ross Barkley.
Arsenal kicks off FA Cup quest against Sunderland
Arsenal will begin its quest to become the first team in modern times to win the FA Cup three years running with a home tie against fellow Premier League side Sunderland in January.
Monday’s draw in Cardiff for the third round of the most historic domestic knockout competition in world football produced an unusually high total of five all-top flight ties.
Arsene Wenger’s holders will start their defense against the side they beat 3-1 in the league Saturday as they seek to become only the third team in the history of the venerable competition to win the trophy for three years in succession.
The last team to achieve the feat was Blackburn Rovers, which won the Cup in 1884, 1885 and 1886 in Britain’s Victorian era, eight years after Wanderers had performed a similar treble.
The third round draw, which traditionally sees the introduction of the glamor clubs into the event, also paired two current Premier League high flyers, fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur against current leader Leicester City.
The other top-tier ties are Watford versus Newcastle United, Southampton against Crystal Palace and Norwich at home to Manchester City. Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool will visit fourth-tier Exeter City.
The draw, as usual, offered the whiff of romance with four non-league sides still in the competition given the chance to tackle the big boys.
Of those, only National League team Eastleigh is definitely through to the third round and it has been rewarded with a home tie against Bolton Wanderers.
Seventh-tier club Salford City has the prospect of a home tie if it wins its second-round replay at Hartlepool.
