TURF WAR IS OVER
Boss Dyche turns sense of injustice into siege mentality for Toffees
EVERTON’S relentless march continued on Sean Dyche’s first return to Turf Moor.
Towering midfielder Amadou Onana headed in a 19th-minute opener and ex-burnley defender Michael Keane twisted the knife by rifling in a second six minutes later.
As legendary former Clarets boss Dyche roared his delight at pitchside, the raucous scenes in the away end told a similar story.
The travelling Toffees saw their team register a fourth straight Premier League win for the first time in three years.
Still reeling from their 10-point penalty? Hardly. Gearing up for a grim fight with relegation? It does not feel like it. A first trophy since 1995? Bring it on.
At least that was the way Evertonians were talking as they gear up for Tuesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final at home to Fulham with their team in such outstanding form.
Staying up is the priority but Dyche’s men continue to look anything but relegation candidates, even with that huge penalty.
Burnley’s home record is shocking – this was their eighth loss from nine games at Turf Moor this season – and they simply could not cope with Everton’s energy and physicality.
Credit to Dyche, whose Everton have already matched the eight Premier League wins they achieved in the whole of last season.
Three players he signed for Burnley – Keane, James Tarkowski and Dwight Mcneil – started for Everton in a muchchanged line-up that was missing suspended duo Idrissa Gueye and Jarrad Branthwaite.
Vitalii Mykolenko and Ashley Young missed out through injury but the changes did not affect the Toffees, who should have led inside the 10th minute.
Jack Harrison had time and space to cross to the far post where the unmarked Mcneil arrived to send a header wide.
The ex-clarets star should have hit the target but in the 18th minute Everton led when Nathan Patterson won possession and neatly swapped passes with Harrison.
Patterson delivered a superb cross which Dominic Calvertlewin met with a firm header which drew an outstanding diving save from James Trafford.
From the resulting corner,
though, Onana used his 6ft 4in frame to good effect by planting a firm header past Trafford.
It was 2-0 in the 25th minute when Everton captain Tarkowski headed a deep free-kick goalwards.
Keane hit a shot which Trafford saved but Dara O’shea’s awful clearance fell to the Everton defender who blasted home.
Burnley went closest from Zeki Amdouni’s 25-yard piledriver, which Jordan Pickford turned around a post, while Sander Berge hit the woodwork.
The night, though, belonged to Dyche’s Everton who also registered a fourth clean sheet.