Toffees ‘win ugly’ to ease drop worries
EVERTON manager Sean Dyche admits his change in tactics to ‘win ugly’ paid off as a 1-0 victory over 10-man Burnley eased some of their relegation worries.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who ended his six-month wait for a goal with the equaliser at Newcastle in the week, charged down Arijanet Muric’s clearance seconds before the end of the first half for the only goal and a first league win since December.
Luton’s victory over Bournemouth means Dyche’s side remain only four points above the drop zone but they have put another club — Brentford — between them.
‘Important and welcome,’ was his assessment of the result.
‘We looked at the idea of how well we had played this season and not won so we deliberately tried to play it long and strong and play the game as awkward and ugly as possible and get an ugly win and it worked.
‘We gave the ball away too cheaply but there is a nervousness when you have been on a run like that. That stops the storyline and we have to build on that.
‘But the winning mentality is important and I think it was on show today to make sure we found a win.’
The three points were even more vital with the ruling of a second independent commission into profitability and sustainability breaches — for which they have already been docked six points this season — expected next week.
‘You are trying to control the controllables,’ Dyche added.
‘We’ve had another step forward to change that today, I’m not saying we have every answer but it is a very important victory.’
Clarets defender Dara O’Shea was sent off in the 67th minute after bringing down Dwight McNeil just over the halfway line and boss Vincent Kompany felt referee Michael Oliver’s decision was harsh at best.
‘The letter of the law says he should have been denying a goalscoring opportunity to be sent off and I’ll let you guys make your judgement on that.
‘There was a lot of force on the ball and it would be a comfortable pick up for the goalkeeper.’
Defeat left 19th-placed Burnley six points from safety but Kompany refused to blame his goalkeeper.
‘He has to keep going. It is part of being a professional footballer. We all live with the mistakes we make, it happens for everyone in life and in football it is no different,’ he added.
Aston Villa’s Premier League topfour hopes suffered a big blow as they threw away a two-goal lead to draw 3-3 against Brentford, who scored three times in nine minutes.
Villa looked to be consolidating fourth position after goals either side of half-time from Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers put them in the ascendency.
But they hit the self-destruct button as quickfire strikes from Mathias Jorgensen, Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa saw Brentford turn the game on its head.
The hosts had to rally and a Watkins header rescued a point, but the result handed the impetus to Tottenham in the race for guaranteed Champions League qualification.
Spurs, who are three points behind in fifth, play relegation threatened Nottingham Forest today and also have a game in hand.
The draw means Brentford’s winless run extends to nine games.
Luton took a huge step towards Premier League survival as Carlton Morris’s 90th-minute strike earned them a 2-1 comeback win against Bournemouth at a jubilant Kenilworth Road.
Rob Edwards saw his side end their 10-match run without a league victory in dramatic fashion, Morris arriving at the far post to turn home Cauley Woodrow’s deep cross and stun Andoni Iraola in the away dugout.
Bournemouth had been excellent in the first half against a home side that looked creatively clueless, but it took until after the interval to make their breakthrough via James Tavernier’s low shot.
Luton rallied and Jordan Clark levelled to snatch what at that stage looked like being a critical point in their fight against the drop.
Then came Morris’s late intervention, knocking the ball past a stunned Neto in the visitors’ goal to spark joyous scenes.