Turf Moor has witnessed this template for victory by a Sean Dyche team dozens of times but unfortunately for Burnley he is not their manager any more. Everton were organised, physically dominant and enjoyed goals from players over 6ft to secure a fourth straight victory without conceding, to place them seven points clear of the relegation zone, despite their 10-point deduction, as the siege mentality continues to grow.
Amadou Onana and Michael Keane settled the result on a night of nostalgia for Burnley fans, but it was never in doubt as Everton provided 90 minutes of know-how and effective football, while Burnley’s naivety was laid bare by the man with a pub named after him around the corner. In normal circumstances, Everton would sit ninth, an indication of the turnaround under Dyche over the past 11 months.
“There is a lot of work to be done because of the penalty,” Dyche said. “I am very pleased with the players’ attitude towards it. You have to find ways of winning games and I think that is an improvement with their understanding.”
No one needed to be told who had left the tunnel when the roar went up. Dyche was striding across the pitch for the umpteenth time of his managerial career but for the first time since his final home game as Burnley manager, a 3-2 victory over Everton in April 2022, after almost 10 years in Lancashire. “I had a fantastic time here and if I paid my bit back, that’s how it should be. It is nice to enjoy that moment,” he said. “It was a rare one where the manager gets respect, hopefully from the Evertonians, but the Burnley fans as well.”
The opening goal was pure Dyche as the former Claret Dwight McNeil swung a corner to the back post where Onana produced a towering header as James Trafford flapped. For all of Burnley’s nice ideas in possession, Everton were showing efficiency is more effective.
It was nostalgic viewing for the home supporters as they got to witness a highly disciplined team with James Tarkowski and Keane at centre-back. The two combined for Everton’s second as the former headed a free-kick down to the latter on the edge of the box; Keane’s first shot was blocked by Trafford but ricocheted back into the defender’s path off Dara O’Shea, allowing him to tap home from six yards. Two assists and a goal for the old boys will not have cheered the fans of the Premier League’s second-bottom club.
“There is not much I can say about the overall defending or attacking, it is about both boxes today,” Vincent Kompany said. “We conceded two set plays and the moments we had, we were not able to finalise anything. Getting done in both boxes is what you are left to discuss. It is a credit to Everton, they are one of the best in the league [at set pieces].”
Inspired by Lyle Foster’s return for his first appearance in almost two months, after being given time off to deal with mental-health issues, Burnley were more energetic after the break. They looked dangerous on both flanks to cause Everton problems and eventually forced a save when Zeki Amdouni rifled a shot from distance towards the top corner, Jordan Pickford tipping it wide.
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Dyche was happy to let Burnley pass the ball around because he was confident they did not have the ability to penetrate his back five and he was proved right. It was Everton’s eighth victory of the season where they have had the minority of possession, while Burnley succumbed to their eighth home defeat. Dyche showed once again why he is the king of Turf Moor to make it a night of dejection in the Royal Dyche.
