Burnley vs Everton: Match Preview | Toffees look to make it four in a row at Turf Moor
Everton will look to make it four Premier League wins in a row and put further distance between themselves at the relegation zone with victory at Burnley.
There has been a feel-good factor around Everton this week not felt for several years thanks to those three thrilling wins in the space of eight days, with a sense of unity between players, club and fans thanks to that already infamous 10-point deduction.
That harsh punishment is not the sole reason behind the upturn in form of course, the stats have backed up Sean Dyche’s assessment that performances have improved but not always delivered results – until now.
But there is no doubt that the burning sense of injustice has brought everyone associated at the club together.
The task now is maintaining that level of performance through a gruelling winter schedule, with injuries and suspensions already starting to bite.
The Toffees are still only four points clear of the drop zone and cannot assume they will get any points back on appeal, so there is still no margin for error.
This will be Dyche’s first return to Turf Moor since he was sacked in April 2022 after a successful nine-year spell in charge that included two promotions and qualification for Europe.
There is also the small matter of a Carabao Cup quarter-final against Fulham to look forward to on Tuesday
The opposition
After bouncing back from the Championship at the first attempt Burnley made an awful start to the season, but there are signs they are now finding their feet.
The Clarets have taken as many points in their last three games (four) than they did in the previous 13, including a thumping 5-0 win over Sheffield United, their first league win at home this season.
Although Vincent Kompany’s possession-based approach is visually appealing, converting that possession into opportunities and goals has proven to be problematic.
This was especially the case when the teams played in the Carabao Cup in November, with Burnley having minimal offensive danger while appearing well-organized on the ball.
They do, however, have a respectable record at Turf Moor against Everton. They have the best top-flight record against any opponent at Turf Moor, having won five of their eight Premier League games and the previous three meetings.
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