Everton pile misery on Burnley as old boy Michael Keane caps off win
Turf Moor has witnessed this template of 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 well over 6ft tall to secure a fourth straight victory without conceding. It puts them seven points clear of the relegation zone, despite their 10-point deduction.
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 knowhow and effective football, while Burnley’s naivety was laid bare by the man with a pub named after him around the corner.
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.
This is not the Burnley Dyche left behind 20 months ago; only two of his signings started here, while three players who worked under Dyche at Turf Moor were in the Everton lineup.
Vincent Kompany implemented an almost complete overhaul to create a team style of dynamic attacking football and move away from his predecessor’s more rugged approach. Under the Belgian there is always a sharp intake of breath in the stands when the defenders pass the ball around the area. They did just that and Everton won the ball back, earning a corner thanks to a fine James Trafford save.
The resulting set piece was pure Dyche as the former Claret Dwight McNeil, swung the ball to the back post where Onana produced a towering header as Trafford flapped. For all of Burnley’s nice ideas in possession, Everton were showing that 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 Michael 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 second-bottom club.
Inspired by Lyle Foster’s return for his first appearance in almost two months – he was given time off to deal with mental-health issues – Burnley were more energetic after the break. They looked dangerous on both flanks and forced Jordan Pickford into a save when Zeki Amdouni rifled a shot from distance towards the top corner, Pickford tipping it wide.
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Whenever Everton had a set piece there was an understandable sense of dread inside the ground. James Garner swung a corner to the back post that Trafford again failed to deal with, resulting in a scramble on the line until Burnley finally cleared.
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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, even though Sander Berge rattled the crossbar.
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.