Dominic Calvert-Lewin capitalized on a mistake by Burnley goalkeeper Arijanet Muric to score his second goal in consecutive games, securing a valuable victory for Everton against their struggling opponents at Goodison Park.
This unusual goal ended Everton’s 14-game winless streak in the top-flight, with their last victory coming against Burnley at Turf Moor on 16 December. The win lifts them to 15th place in the table, four points clear of the relegation zone.
Calvert-Lewin, who broke his goal drought in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle, found the back of the net at the end of a lackluster first half. Muric’s attempted clearance struck the Everton striker, causing the ball to loop over the Burnley keeper and into the unguarded net.
Early in the second half, Calvert-Lewin had a chance to extend Everton’s lead but shot straight at Muric after outmaneuvering Dara O’Shea inside the penalty area.
Burnley’s hopes of staging a comeback took a turn for the worse when O’Shea lost possession near the halfway line and then committed a professional foul on Dwight McNeil, resulting in a straight red card for the defender.
In the closing stages of the match, Josh Brownhill’s curling effort narrowly missed the far post, adding to the tension. However, Everton held on to secure three crucial points and dealt a significant blow to Burnley’s own survival aspirations.
In Tuesday’s match against Newcastle, Everton unfortunately set a club record of 13 consecutive Premier League games without a victory. However, they entered this game with a positive momentum from their impressive second-half performance at St James’ Park.
During the first half, Dyche’s team had the upper hand despite the lack of quality and scoring opportunities. As the game approached the half-hour mark, Burnley seemed to gain confidence, causing the home fans to grow increasingly restless.
As the first half was coming to a close, it seemed like it would end without any significant action. However, in a surprising turn of events, Calvert-Lewin blocked Muric’s attempted clearance, resulting in the first goal of the match.
The last time the 27-year-old scored in consecutive Premier League games was back in September, when he found the net in a victory against Brentford and a defeat against Luton.
Despite having opportunities to increase their lead in the second half, the Toffees were unable to capitalize. Calvert-Lewin’s right-footed shot was saved by Muric, while Beto failed to break free from the Burnley defense after receiving a through ball from Andre Gomes.
The home fans had an anxious end to the match, although Burnley rarely posed a threat to Jordan Pickford in the Everton goal, apart from Brownhill’s narrowly missed shot.
Regardless of the pending decision on a potential points deduction for breaching the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules, Everton’s victory was crucial. They will learn their fate next week.