Dwight McNeil’s sublime goal was worthy of winning any game but the benefits should be far-reaching for Burnley. Premier League safety appears within sight for Sean Dyche’s side after they become the latest visitors to curb Everton’s European aspirations at Goodison Park.
McNeil, with a goal of the season contender, and Chris Wood delivered a thoroughly deserved away win that lifted Burnley seven points clear of the relegation zone. Had fear been rising in the visitors following a run of five league games without a win they disguised it superbly, performing not only with trademark industry and resilience but with a quality in attack that belied their position in the table. McNeil embodied the creativity and confidence that condemned Everton to a fifth defeat in seven home league matches in 2021.
“Sometimes Dwight goes under the radar but he won’t today,” said Dyche. “He’s got such a conscientious view of his own performances that it can be too much and overpowering at times. But his quality is there – I see it all of the time in training – and it was a great moment to see it come to life in a game. He works incredibly hard, every player in this team has too, and I believe he’ll go on to bigger and better [things] than Burnley, maybe a superpower club, and they will marvel at how hard he works for the team.”
Everton had limited opportunities to salvage a recovery after Dominic Calvert-Lewin pulled a goal back. Most fell to their goalscorer, who toiled after his fine first-half header, and if Carlo Ancelotti falls short in his aim of delivering European football he will know where to look. Seventeen points have been dropped at Goodison since the turn of the year, with Everton repeatedly falling short when the onus is on them to control a game. “All the games when we try to play with more quality we lose the spirit that usually helps us get results,” said Ancelotti. “It is a big disappointment.”
An early breakthrough gave Burnley the platform for a highly impressive first-half performance characterised by tireless pressing, invention and superb finishing. Josh Brownhill typified Burnley’s industry when dispossessing Tom Davies as soon as he received a pass from Mason Holgate. Wood released McNeil down the left and was perfectly placed on the edge of the area when Michael Keane, the former Burnley defender, deflected the winger’s cross into his path. Wood had time and space to pick his spot and found the far corner with Jordan Pickford rooted to the ground.
The visitors doubled their advantage in stunning fashion when Matt Lowton beat Richarlison in a 50-50 challenge. Matej Vydra fed the commanding McNeil, who turned inside the rusty Allan with ease, glanced up and curled a sublime left-footed finish into Pickford’s top-right corner. Erik Pieters’s reaction – raising his hands to his head in disbelief – said everything about the quality of the strike.
Johann Gudmundsson struck a post a minute later and Pickford, attempting to save, aggravated the rib injury that forced him to miss several games recently. He will have a scan on Sunday that will determine his availability for next week’s FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City and England’s World Cup qualifiers.
Calvert-Lewin hauled Everton back into the game with another fine goal. Alex Iwobi found Davies running into space on the right of the visitors’ area. The midfielder whipped an inviting delivery across goal and Calvert-Lewin rose unmarked to send an unstoppable header past Pope. A first goal in five games should have been the cue for more from the England international.
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Everton started the second half strongly, with André Gomes forcing a low save from Nick Pope and then sweeping a cross-field ball out to Lucas Digne in space. Digne, with his unfavoured right foot, crossed to the near post where the unmarked Calvert-Lewin steered an uncharacteristically poor header wide. The striker, who was closer with a header from a Gomes free-kick in the first half, squandered another good opening when Davies floated a lovely ball over the Burnley defence. Calvert-Lewin’s first touch took him clear but his second was heavy and he overran the ball straight to Pope.
Burnley created the better chances, however. Vydra was unable to turn the ball into an empty net after João Virgínia, Pickford’s replacement, fumbled Wood’s header, while it needed a decisive touch from Ben Godfrey to prevent the towering centre-forward converting Pieters’s cross. The subsequent corner was headed against the crossbar by Ben Mee and Everton’s stand-in keeper denied both Vydra and his replacement, Jay Rodriguez.
Dyche dedicated the victory to his late brother-in-law, who died recently aged just 47.
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