Burnley dished up a meek, pitiful performance – one of their worst of the season – to lose comfortably at Everton.
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The Toffees won’t have an easier game all season, with David Moyes’ men strolling to a routine 2-0 victory in Burnley’s first trip to the Hill Dickinson Stadium. In fact, the scoreline probably flattered the visitors.
Scott Parker’s side barely laid a glove on the hosts, producing just four shots on goal in the entire game and only two on target.
Everton didn’t have to do a great deal to claim the three points to boost their European hopes, but they always looked in charge.
Their first, predictably, came from a set piece as former Claret James Tarkowski headed home from a free kick, before Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall doubled Everton’s lead in the second-half with a cleverly dinked finish.
Burnley fans vented their frustration throughout the match, with chants of “we want Parker out”, as well as ironic cheers when a rare shot on goal arrived, as well as boos for the subbing of Hannibal.
The Clarets now only have nine games left of what has been a dismal season and, while the gap to safety remains at eight points, it could well grow on Wednesday when the rest of their relegation rivals are in action.
Former Claret James Tarkowski headed Everton in front (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)placeholder image
Former Claret James Tarkowski headed Everton in front (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Burnley had to cope without Zian Flemming after the striker was ruled out with a knock, having scored during the weekend’s 4-3 defeat to Brentford.
The enforced change was accompanied by another three changes, as Josh Laurent, James Ward-Prowse and Jacob Bruun Larsen all dropped to the bench.
Kyle Walker returned and took the captaincy back from Maxime Esteve, while Florentino Luis, Lesley Ugochukwu and Lyle Foster all started too.
Kian McMahon-Brown, who has been in impressive for the club’s youth team this season, was named among the substitutes.
Marcus Edwards didn’t make it having been ruled a fitness doubt after missing the weekend’s game with a knock picked up in training on Friday.
Jordan Beyer, Axel Tuanzebe, Connor Roberts, Mike Tresor, Zeki Amdouni and Armando Broja all remain sidelined.
As for Everton, they named an unchanged side from the team that beat Newcastle United 3-2 at St James’ Park on Saturday.
Former Clarets James Tarkowski and Dwight McNeil both started, while Michael Keane was named on the bench.
It was Burnley who threatened first as early as the second minute, as Lyle Foster dragged a shot wide after opting to go it alone on the counter, rather than picking out Jaidon Anthony which looked to be the better option.
It was a quiet start to the game, on and off the pitch, with the Clarets happy to sit back, soak up pressure and look for opportunities on the break.
The Toffees produced their first shot in anger in the 19th minute as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall curled well over following a weak clearance from Florentino Luis.
Burnley’s strategy was so defensive it caused them problems going the other way, playing so deep it made it virtually impossible to get up the pitch.
If the visitors were to get anything from this game, it looked as though it would have to be a smash and grab, because they weren’t willing to engage.
But their challenge was made even more difficult when, just after the half-hour mark, they went a goal down to yet another set piece goal.
Former Claret Tarkowski was the man to get it, getting the wrong side of Kyle Walker to head home unopposed from James Garner’s deep free kick.
Things could have gone from bad to worse for Burnley before the half was up as the hosts threatened from another set piece, but Dubravka did well to keep Jarrad Branthwaite’s header out.
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Despite a marginally better start to the second half from Burnley, Everton had the ball in the back of the net through Iliman Ndiaye - only for the ‘goal’ to be quickly ruled out for offside.
A double Burnley change soon followed, as James Ward-Prowse and Loum Tchaouna entered the fray for Joe Worrall and Florentino Luis.
But within just two minutes, the Clarets were staring down the barrel of yet another dismal defeat as Everton doubled their lead.
Dewsbury-Hall was the man to get it, dinking the ball over the onrushing Dubravka after being slipped through by Ndiaye.
The goal prompted the return of the “we want Parker out” chant, while further frustrations were audible when Hannibal - one of few players to emerge with any credit - was replaced by Josh Laurent.
A third almost followed for the home side as Idrissa Gueye tried his luck from the corner of the box, but on this occasion the crossbar came to Burnley’s aid.
Usually going 2-0 down is the cue for Burnley to wake up, but it didn’t happen on this occasion. Instead Everton looked ready to fill their boots.
There were ironic cheers from the away end in the 78th minute when Burnley finally produced another shot on goal, only their second of the game. But Jaidon Anthony’s daisy cutter was comfortably saved by Jordan Pickford.
Pickford made a far better save with the last action of the game deep into stoppage time to deny Burnley a late consolation, staying upright to deny Lyle Foster from close range.
TEAMS
Everton: Pickford, O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite (Keane), Mykolenko, Gueye (Iroegbunam), Garner, Dewsbury-Hall, McNeil (George), Ndiaye (Dibling), Beto (Barry)
Subs not used: Travers, Patterson, Rohl, Armstrong
Burnley: Dubravka, Walker, Humphreys, Worrall (Tchaouna), Esteve, Pires, Florentino (Ward-Prowse), Ugochukwu (Barnes), Hannibal (Laurent), Anthony, Foster
Subs not used: Weiss, Ekdal, Hartman, Bruun Larsen, McMahon-Brown
Referee: Tim Robinson
Attendance: 51,959
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