Dwight McNeil’s stunning strike helped Burnley boost their Premier League survival hopes at the expense of Champions League-hopefuls Everton at Goodison Park.
England U21 winger McNeil turned sharply to beat Allan before curling expertly into the top corner from the edge of the penalty area to make it 2-0, after Chris Wood’s fine finish with Burnley’s first shot gave the visitors a 13th-minute lead.
The visitors had a penalty claim dismissed after the ball struck Ben Godfrey’s arm in an aerial challenge with Ben Mee prior to McNeil’s goal, and they were almost out of sight before half-time but Johann Gudmundsson’s low effort hit the post.
An entertaining first half took another twist as Dominic Calvert-Lewin headed in Tom Davies’ cross to halve the deficit.
There was, however, a further setback for manager Carlo Ancelotti when England number one Jordan Pickford eventually had to be replaced after sustaining an injury in attempting to save Gudmundsson’s earlier attempt.
Everton emerged from half-time determined to quickly restore parity, but Calvert-Lewin mistimed his header from Lucas Digne’s cross, while Burnley’s Matej Vydra was unable to capitalise on a couple of good opportunities to seal the points.
Sean Dyche’s side remain 15th but they are now seven points clear of the bottom three, while defeat leaves Everton five points adrift of the top-four positions.
McNeil delivers as Burnley near safety
Burnley had failed to score in a league-high eight away games this season, and prior to kick-off at Goodison only bottom side Sheffield United had scored fewer goals than Sean Dyche’s side.
But the Clarets made a sensational start against Everton, with McNeil’s sublime finish the obvious highlight of an impressive first half for the visitors on Merseyside.
McNeil’s instinctive change of direction caught Allan flat-footed, before the 21-year curled his left-foot shot spectacularly into the corner.
It was only his second goal of the season – matching his tally from 2019-20 – and such a display of quality in an all-round impressive performance raises questions as to why his output is not greater.
It was no less than Burnley deserved for an uncharacteristically front-foot approach against top-four chasing opposition, and it was helped in no small part by the industry of midfield pair Josh Brownhill and Ashley Westwood.
Brownhill robbed Davies of possession to set his side away for Wood’s opener and the former Bristol City player regained possession for his side more times than any player from either side.
Dyche’s side increasingly relied on the defensive solidity that has been the backbone of their current five-year stay in the top-flight in the second half, but the Clarets will believe they have more than enough to avoid a relegation scrap following this excellent result.
More to follow.
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Everton
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Squad number1Player namePickford
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Squad number4Player nameHolgate
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Squad number5Player nameKeane
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Squad number22Player nameGodfrey
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Squad number12Player nameDigne
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Squad number6Player nameAllan
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Squad number26Player nameDavies
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Squad number21Player nameAndré Gomes
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Squad number17Player nameIwobi
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Squad number7Player nameRicharlison
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Squad number9Player nameCalvert-Lewin
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Squad number11Player nameKing
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Squad number23Player nameColeman
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Squad number31Player nameJoão VirgÃnia
Burnley
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Squad number1Player namePope
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Squad number2Player nameLowton
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Squad number5Player nameTarkowski
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Squad number6Player nameMee
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Squad number23Player namePieters
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Squad number7Player nameGudmundsson
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Squad number18Player nameWestwood
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Squad number8Player nameBrownhill
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Squad number11Player nameMcNeil
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Squad number27Player nameVydra
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Squad number9Player nameWood
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Squad number12Player nameBrady
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Squad number19Player nameRodriguez
Line-ups
Everton
Formation 4-1-2-1-2
- 1PickfordSubstituted forNeves VirgÃniaat 43′minutes
- 4HolgateSubstituted forColemanat 73′minutes
- 5Keane
- 22Godfrey
- 12Digne
- 6Allan
- 26DaviesSubstituted forKingat 66′minutes
- 21André Gomes
- 17Iwobi
- 7Richarlison
- 9Calvert-Lewin
Substitutes
- 10G Sigurdsson
- 11King
- 13Mina
- 18Nkounkou
- 23Coleman
- 31Neves VirgÃnia
- 34Broadhead
- 53Tyrer
- 62Onyango
Burnley
Formation 4-4-2
- 1PopeBooked at 85mins
- 2LowtonBooked at 45mins
- 5TarkowskiBooked at 76mins
- 6Mee
- 23Pieters
- 7GudmundssonSubstituted forBradyat 66′minutes
- 18WestwoodBooked at 37mins
- 8Brownhill
- 11McNeil
- 27VydraSubstituted forRodriguezat 78′minutes
- 9Wood
Substitutes
- 12Brady
- 15Peacock-Farrell
- 16Stephens
- 19Rodriguez
- 26Bardsley
- 28Long
- 31Nartey
- 34Dunne
- 41Benson
Live Text
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Match ends, Everton 1, Burnley 2.
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Second Half ends, Everton 1, Burnley 2.
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Corner, Everton. Conceded by James Tarkowski.
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Foul by Michael Keane (Everton).
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Jay Rodriguez (Burnley) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Attempt missed. André Gomes (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right. Assisted by Michael Keane.
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Corner, Everton. Conceded by Ben Mee.
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Attempt blocked. Séamus Coleman (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Richarlison.
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Attempt blocked. Alex Iwobi (Everton) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Séamus Coleman.
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Nick Pope (Burnley) is shown the yellow card.
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Corner, Everton. Conceded by Nick Pope.
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Attempt saved. Jay Rodriguez (Burnley) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Dwight McNeil.
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Attempt missed. Robbie Brady (Burnley) left footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
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Foul by Joshua King (Everton).
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Dwight McNeil (Burnley) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Substitution, Burnley. Jay Rodriguez replaces Matej Vydra.
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Attempt missed. Michael Keane (Everton) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Lucas Digne with a cross following a set piece situation.
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James Tarkowski (Burnley) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Richarlison (Everton) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by James Tarkowski (Burnley).
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