Match Report

Everton won in the Premier League for the first time in 14 attempts, gratefully accepting a goal served up on a platter by Arijanet Muric and hanging on to claim three priceless points after Dara O’Shea was sent off midway through the second half.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin closed the Burnley goalkeeper down as the latter attempted to play the ball out from his area, and profited with a fortunate but potentially massive goal.

It was a stoppage time gift that was wholly undeserved by the home side, who were desperately poor for the opening 45 minutes, with a reworked central midfield struggling to create chances and neither Ashley Young nor Dwight McNeil able to provide any threats from the flanks

André Gomes started in the middle alongside the recalled James Garner, with Amadou Onana missing out through injury and Idrissa Gueye absent following the birth of his child late the night before.

With Everton employing a mind-numbing long-ball game in a swirling wind for much of the first period, the fast and intense start that the vocal Goodison faithful would’ve hoped for never materialised.

Instead, the contest soon evolved into a pattern of mostly ineffective Burnley possession, plenty of huff and puff from Everton, trying to close them down, and by the quarter of an hour mark, the Toffees had fashioned little more than a handful of half openings.

Seamus Coleman, starting in place of Ben Godfrey, got to the byline but his cut-back was intercepted for a corner in the seventh minute and, two minutes later, Calvert-Lewin won a free-kick in a dangerous area but McNeil overhit both set-pieces while Gomes failed to beat the first man with a disappointing second corner a few minutes later.

Despite the paucity of their display – apart from the exceptional Jarrad Branthwaite and Coleman, it was hard to see any quality on the day – Sean Dyche’s side continued to carry the greater threat but Abdoulaye Doucouré’s driven cross from near the byline was smothered by Muric and McNeil selfishly opted to shoot when an chance to split the defence opened up and his daisy-cutter was comfortably gathered.

Burnley stuck to their possession formula and started to make inroads once the 20-minute mark had passed. Charlie Taylor lined up a shot that Coleman blocked superbly with his body and the Dane had another sight of goal 12 minutes later then a needless foul by James Tarkowski earned him a booking and the Clarets a direct free-kick chance from 25 yards out but the ball cleared the crossbar.

Then, from a Burnley corner, David Datro Fofana popped up with an uncontested header but could only guide the delivery into Jordan Pickford’s arms, Burnley's only effort on target on the day.

That appeared to be that for the first half, with Evertonians no doubt ready to grumble their way through the interval wondering how the performance could get better with so few options on the substitutes’ bench, but the game’s decisive moment would come in time added on.

Everton had been pressing the Clarets’ tactic of playing out from the back throughout but Muric was all too casual, delaying his pass long enough for Calvert-Lewin to get into his path and his kick ricocheting off the striker’s outstretched foot before looping into the empty net.

It was the kind of lucky break the Blues have needed and it proved to be just enough because Calvert-Lewin would twice be denied at close quarters by Muric in the second half.

First, Lorenz Assignon’s mis-placed in front of his own box was intercepted by Calvert-Lewin but Muric did well to save the Everton forward’s attempt to squeeze a shot inside the near post with his foot.

One of the hosts’ best moves of the game almost yielded a second goal two minutes later when Gomes found Ashley Young with a terrific switch pass to the right flank but Doucouré couldn’t put the veteran’s deep cross on target at the back post.

McNeil almost slipped Calvert-Lewin in with a through-ball but a defender muscled himself between the striker and the keeper before Gomes sent a free-kick sailing over the goal after he had been fouled outside the box by Josh Cullen.

Though McNeil had put in as poor a first-half display as any Everton player in living memory, he atoned somewhat with his running and industry in the second and when he prodded a loose ball past O’Shea and was sent clattering to the floor on the halfway line, referee Michael Oliver flashed the defender a straight red card.

That provided the Blues the opportunity over the final 23 minutes to carve out the insurance of a second goal but they couldn’t manage it after surviving a close call when Josh Brownhill whipped a curling shot that narrowly missed the far post.

Calvert-Lewin drove horizontally through the Burnley penalty area but missed the target with a left-foot shot and when McNeil clipped a ball in behind the defence for the No.9 to seize on, his first touch made the angle too difficult and Muric made the save.

McNeil himself had a chance to kill the game but bent a shot high and wide and substitute Beto had a penalty claim waved away while Dyche’s men survived a late flurry by the visitors to finally ended the painful wait for three precious points.

In the end, while it wasn't at all attractive – in truth, it was pretty awful – it ended a record 13-match run without a victory bookended by two very different wins over Burnley. Back in December, a confident and purposeful Everton strolled to a fourth successive win that, even allowing for the possibility of a further points deduction, seemed to have almost banished concerns over relegation for the season.

What has happened in between began with a tricky spell of fixtures and performances lauded for their effort in defeat but as the weeks passed without victory even looking likely, the pressure has piled onto the shoulders of the players and manager alike.

Today’s win was soured by Carlton Morris’s 90th minute winner for Luton town which keeps them within four points of Everton, a gap that could narrow with the verdict from the second independent commission into the Blues’ PSR breach that is expected to come down early this week, possibly as soon as Monday.

But, coming on the heels of that equally fortunate point at Newcastle last Tuesday it will, hopefully, inject some confidence and belief into a group that now has eight days to recover before the trip to Chelsea after three games in the space of a week.

Lyndon Lloyd

Matchday Updates

A critical game in the Premier League relegation battle sees Everton take on Burnley at Goodison Park this afternoon with the home side and fans desperate for them to end this dreadful winless run.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin leads the line after breaking his horrendous goal drought with that powerful spot-kick that beat Dubravka on Tuesday night in Newcastle. André Gomes, Seamus Coleman, James Garner also return to the starting line-up.

Amadou Onana is not risked in this one after having picked up a number of knocks in recent games, while Lewis Dobbin, Dele Alli and Arnaut Danjuma continue to be unavailable through injury or extended recovery, with Dyche reverting to naming two goalkeepers on the bench. 

The visitors kicked off in the breezy sunshine with some head tennis and an early touch for each goalkeeper. Branthwaite looked to release Mykolenko down the left but he was not strong enough. Coleman swung in an early cross but Muric came out strongly to claim it.

McNeil tried to advance but could not get past Berge. Coleman did better on the other side, not finding an Everton shirt though but winning a corner. Young and Muric set to before McNeil's kick, which curled in very close to the far post but no one there to convert it.

O'Shea fouled Calvert-Lewin, McNeil's free-kick again beating everyone, no blue shirt wanting to attack the lofted ball. Docucoure fouled Curen, but that set-piece too flew away for an Everton goal-kick. Garner looked to break but Taylor caught him, this time Gomes looping it long, but an infringement was called on the Blues. 

McNeil fed Doucoure but he played in behind Calvert-Lewin. Branthwaite tackled well in midfield but then strode forward and shot poorly well wide. \Gmes did  well to win a corner, but found the first defender with it on the near post.

On the workaround, Doucoure tried to force something but the goalkeeper stopped it reaching Calvert-Lewin. McNeil and Doucoure tried a move down the left but up went the offside flag. Everton were trying their best to get forward in the first 20 minutes but Burnley were successfully snuffing out everything. SUmmed up by McNeil's drive forward and distant shot, easily blocked. 

There followed the first spell of defensive panic in the Everton area with a couple of shots that needed blocking, that finished with a Burnley corner cleared. Everton attacked again but it ended with a poor ball from Ashley Young. Young then tried to release Calvert-Lewin with a decent all down the right but he too was flagged offside.  

Calvert-Lewin got a good glance on a decent cross in from Mykolenko but Young and Dcucoure conspired to mess up the ensuing half-chance and Burnley came forward again, causing more panic in defence. Tarkowski and Pickford went for the same dangerous ball in from Assignon and fortunately avoided an own-goal but it was nerve-wracking stuff.

Foster and Fofana created a terrible defensive muddle in the Everton area that was fortunately cleared but Everton were living on a knife-edge.  Tarkowski was drawn in to foul ___ outside the corner of the Everton penalty area, the free-kick whipped low over the far angle of Pickford's goal.

Tarkowski's pullback on Odobert drew the game's first yellow card with Everton under the cosh. Tarkowski did well to get his head on the set-piece ball, McNeil and Taylor clashing heads for the aerial ball.  

The play finally moved back up the Burnley end, Young's cross not leading to anything and Everton were soon on the back foot again, Burnley winning another corner. This one was headed thankfully straight at Pickford, when Fofana might have directed it elsewhere. 

Coleman and Odobert had a good tussle for the ball in the corner, aided by Young but eventually signalled as a goal kick. Calvert-Lewin was fouled by Esteve, Gomes not finding a Blue shirt at the far post as Tarkowski got an arm in his face. 

Everton forced a turnover and moved the ball well, Mykolenko crossing in but Docucoure's volley did not come off. Gomes saw yellow for his foul on Odobert.

But out of nothing, Calvert-Lewin blocked Muric's clearance straight back into the Burnley goal! Excellent work by Dominic!  Just what another dreadful half of so-called zombie football needed!

Everton played it forward from the restart, Calvert-Lewin getting fouled wide right. Gomes fired it in too hard and strong for anyone to get to. Mykolenko's cross from the left wasn't much better. 

As Burnley built their fist attack, Branthwaite was in decisively to cut it out. And when they came back, he marshalled Foster harmlessly to the byline for a goalkick. 

Pickford tried to launch a counter with a good throw to McNeil but he was immediately tackled, then the ball forward to Calvert-Lewin found him offside again. Burnley looked to attack again but it was thwarted.

The benefit of Everton's goal was that they now pressed high whenever Burnley tried to play out from the back. 

Branthwaite timed a perfect block on Berge as he forced his way forward, and Everton defended the corner. At the other end, Calvert-Lewin was again gifted a chance, this time by Assignon, but the Everton centre-forward could only drive his poor shot into the goalkeeper's feet. 

Some better movement in the next play saw Young swing over a deep cross but Doucoure seemed to misjudge it. McNeil tried to play Calvert-Lewin into space but he initially hesitated on the wrong side of his marker and was late to react.

Gomes drew a foul in a clash with Cullen, setting up a freekick 30 yards out that Gomes smashed 10 feet over the bar.  O'Shea was forced into a rash challenge on McNeil and, as the last man, he was shown an immediate red card by Michael Oliver. 

Brownhill, on as a sub, spun and fired a very dangerous shot inches over the far angle with Pickford rooted. While at the other end, Everton were again caught offside. 

Calvert-Lewin did well to cut inside with the ball but could not keep his shot on target. Everton looked ragged again as Burley got the ball forward well, Braintwaite again having to lunge at the ball at the expense of a corner. 

Docuocore was left to beat four men but the ball wa played back and around, finally reaching Calvert-Lewin who went far too wide and could only pass it to Muric from a narrow angle. 

Burnley's attacks with 10 men were more threatening than anything so far, with Everton struggling to keep them in check Dyche seemed to get the message but his answer was the much derided Jack Harrison. Meanwhile, Assignon thankfully failed to make contact on a dropping ball for what could have been an embarrassing chance. 

Calvert-Lewin and McNeil lumbered forward slowly, McNeil choosing to scoop his shot past the angle. In another painfully laboured attack, Young could only swing his cross over everyone. 

McNeil tried to reach Beto with a good cross but a defender got in at the crucial moment to deny him. Harrison played a hard low cross into Young who could not control it.

Beto appeared to get ahead of Berge with the ball and was bearing in on goal but pushed it to his right and then was pushed down by Berge but no foul, said Michael Oliver. Berge's next grapple of Beto saw him shown a yellow before 5 minutes were added on. 

Try as they might, Everto just could not get forward strongly enough to score, while Burnley knew they could cause chaos in the counter. Beto was again given a chance to run forward but was easily marshalled off the ball by the defenders. 

Garner was clearly fouled the edge of the Burnley area but no protests, no claims for a clear penalty, and of course no VAR review. Burnley scampered up the other end and Coleman was forced to give away a late corner that was thankfully cleared and Everton stumbled their way to a massive 3-points thanks to that Calvert-Lewin goal. 

Everton: Pickford, Coleman, Tarkowski [Y:33'], Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gomes [Y:45'], Garner, Young (83' Harrison), Doucoure, McNeil, Calvert-Lewin (83' Beto).

Subs: Virginia, Lonergan, Patterson, Keane, Godfrey. Chermiti, Warrington.

Burnley: Muric, Assignon (83' Jay Rodriguez), Esteve, O’Shea [R:67'], Taylor (84' Zeki Amdouni), Cullen, Berge [Y:90'], Bruun Larsen (69' Brownhill), Odobert (83' Gudmundsson), Fofana (62' Vitinho), Foster.

Subs: Vigouroux, Cork, Benson, Delcroix.

Michael Kenrick

Match Preview

Amadou Onana is a slight doubt for this weekend's significant home game against fellow strugglers Burnley.

Having played three successive fixtures away from home, four of the Toffees' next five are at Goodison Park as Sean Dyche seeks to end what is now the Club's longest run in the Premier League without a win, surpassing the 12-game losing streak at the start of 1994-95 under Mike Walker.

Onana was withdrawn from the action after an hour of Everton's 1-1 draw at Newcastle on Tuesday evening, with Dyche explaining in today's press conference at Finch Farm that the Belgian has picked up "a few knocks".

That could give the manager an easy decision in central midfield where Idrissa Gueye was mostly effective in his disruptor role against the Magpies and both James Garner and André Gomes came off the bench to put in hugely promising cameos in the last half hour.

Meanwhile, Arnaut Danjuma may need another week before he is match-ready. The Dutchman has been out with ankle ligament damage since late January having made just five Premier League starts during his loan spell from Villarreal.

He has been training with the first team for the past week or so but Dyche said that "he is not quite fit yet".

Lewis Dobbin, who sustained an ankle injury of his own in training recently, is recovering well but won't be available this weekend and there is still no word on when or if Dele Alli might be able to make his first contribution to the Everton cause for almost two years.

With this being Everton's third game in the space of a week, Dyche may well look to rotate some of personnel again, perhaps by recalling Seamus Coleman to the starting XI at the expense of Ben Godfrey and dropping Ashley Young to the bench to allow Jack Harrison the opportunity to re-stake his claim.

The Gaffer has used the 38-year-old Young in back-to-back games before but may opt for Harrison's energy in the press against a team that likes to play out from the back and can sometimes create problems for themselves in doing so.

For that reason, Abdoulaye Doucouré is a likely starter again despite his struggle for form since returning from a hamstring injury and Dominic Calvert-Lewin is expected to get the nod up front having broken his long goal drought with the equalising penalty at St James's Park.

In addition to long-term absentees Aaron Ramsey, Nathan Redmond and Luca Kolesoho, Clarets boss Vincent Kompany will be without the injured Jordan Beyer and Ameen Al-Dakhil but Lorenz Assignon is available again after serving a one-match suspension.

Having looked dead and buried not long ago, Burnley have been showing signs of life in recent weeks which will ensure that this will not be an easy game at all, especially given Everton's iffy record on their own patch.

Kompany's side are unbeaten in four now having earned creditable draws at West Ham and Chelsea amongst a home win over Brentford and a draw with Wolves at Turf Moor on Tuesday evening.

Those six points have moved them to within as many of the Toffees, a gap that could, of course, be closer should they do the unthinkable and win this weekend and the verdict from the second independent commission (one that will almost certainly come either tomorrow, Friday, or Monday) recommends another points deduction.

Dyche will be impressing on this players the imperative to do everything to prevent the former and to ensure that the point salvaged against Newcastle be used as a spingboard to finally end this tortuous winless sequence that began in the wake of the reverse of this fixture at Turf Moor in December.

Kick-off: 3pm, Saturday 6 April 2024
Referee: Michael Oliver
VAR: David Coote
Last Time: Everton 3 - 1 Burnley 

Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Coleman, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gueye, Garner, Harrison, McNeil, Doucouré, Calvert-Lewin

Lyndon Lloyd

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