Steven Gerrard’s Aston Villa handed Everton what could be a potentially hugely significant boost in their fight against relegation by ending Burnley caretaker boss Mike Jackson’s new manager ‘bounce’ with a 3-1 victory at Turf Moor on Saturday.
Former Liverpool captain Gerrard – whose side also triumphed 1-0 at Goodison Park against a Blues team managed by Duncan Ferguson back in January after Rafael Benitez’s sacking – doesn’t have much form for doing Everton favours throughout his career. But his West Midlands outfit could well have swung the pendulum of moment in the battle to remain in the Premier League after bursting the Clarets’ bubble.
Burnley had won just four games all season under their long-serving manager Sean Dyche – including a 3-2 comeback victory over Frank Lampard’s side in his penultimate fixture before being sacked on Good Friday after almost a decade in charge. However, after Scouser Jackson – who previous managerial experience amounts to two shorts spells at Shrewsbury Town and Tranmere Rovers – took charge, the East Lancashire outfit picked up 10 points from his first four matches, a run that put the Blues into the drop zone for the first time this season.
READ MORE: Frank Lampard fist bumps fans as Everton get incredible send off from Finch Farm for Leicester City
READ MORE: Farhad Moshiri transfer strategy shows what Frank Lampard must end at Everton
Burnley’s unbeaten run came to an emphatic end, though, as Villa swept them aside with another former Liverpool player Danny Ings opening the scoring with a left-foot finish just seven minutes into the contest. Emiliano Buendia then netted his first goal since his Goodison winner in January to double Villa’s lead on 31 minutes with a right-foot effort after being picked out by Blues old boy Lucas Digne, who was sold by Benitez less than a week before his dismissal.
Ollie Watkins added a third on 52 minutes as he converted a close-range header from John McGinn’s cross before Maxwel Cornet grabbed a consolation goal with a left-foot strike in stoppage time. Although Everton, who have 32 points, two fewer than 16th-placed Burnley, remain in the relegation zone in 18th place with five matches to play – starting with Sunday’s trip to Leicester City – they have two games in hand on them.
Leeds United – who have played one game more than the Blues and one fewer than the Clarets – sit between them in 17th place, like Burnley on 34 points, but with an inferior goal difference to both their rivals. The Yorkshiremen travel to Arsenal on Sunday for a 2pm kick-off in a match that will be played at the same time as Everton’s game at the King Power Stadium.
Meanwhile, Watford – who Everton travel to on Wednesday – followed Norwich City as the second club to have their relegation from the Premier League this season confirmed following a 1-0 defeat at Crystal Palace.
