Everton’s late season resurgence to restore pride to their disappointing campaign continued with a 1-0 victory that saw Burnley consigned to bottom of the table following Leicester City’s win.
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Burnley will feel aggrieved to have walked away without a point, after Ashley Barnes received a second yellow card only moments before half-time. Here’s a closer look at the tackle below:
Although his challenge was late on Everton defender Seamus Coleman the lack of malice shown by Barnes should have kept him on the pitch.
Before the game changing incident Sean Dyche’s men rode their luck after Tom Heaton pulled off a fine penalty save (see below) to deny Everton playmaker Ross Barkley.
That inspired stop from Heaton could not prevent the home side from controlling proceedings during most of the first half. Their quick passing game would finally see the home team rewarded on just before the half hour mark. Coleman’s delightful cross was slammed home by an onrushing Kevin Mirallas at the second time of asking as Everton took a deserved lead into the interval.
When 10-men Burnley reemerged after the break they were lucky not to be 2-0 down. Arouna Kone had a fine effort thwarted by Heaton after fine work down the left channel from Leighton Baines.
The most contentious talking point arrived minutes later when Mirallas’ crunching tackle on George Boyd saw the goalscorer escape with a yellow card. Dyche and his coaching staff were infuriated with the referee’s decision not to have squared the personnel ledger.
However, despite some poor finishing from Everton – see below James McCarthy’s moment to forget – 10-man Burnley began to grow in belief as Everton failed to seal the three points with a second goal.
As the game entered the final 10 minutes the anxiety around Goodison Park was palpable as they clung onto their slender advantage. On 85 minutes Burnley’s best chance of the game arrived for their talisman Danny Ings. Having worked his marker under the ball the Englishman had a great opportunity to head the ball back across goal, only to nod it uncharacteristically over the bar. What the big chance below:
That was as close as the visitors got to a last-gasp equaliser, as Everton secured their fourth win in five league outings and moved to within two points of 10th. For Burnley it was a sobering afternoon that would have been made even worse when news filtered in from Leicester City, who claimed a precious victory at home to Swansea City.
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