Everton continue European charge with comfortable win over Burnley

[p]A goal before the break looked very unlikely at first, with neither side offering any threat going forward in the opening 30 minutes.[/p][p]However, just after the half-hour mark, the Toffees managed to get their noses in front.[/p][p][b]A free-kick into the area from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garner-james/zctP50uI/"]James Garner[/a] found [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tarkowski-james/Mu9cCtLo/"]James Tarkowski[/a] unmarked, with the defender having space to run onto the ball and head it past a committed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dubravka-martin/dp3dkdsI/"]Martin Dúbravka[/a] to open the scoring.[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/burnley/z3dmTMMO/"]Burnley[/a] appeared to still be feeling the negative effects of their demoralising 4-3 defeat at home to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brentford/xYe7DwID/"]Brentford[/a] on Saturday, in a game which saw them battle back from 3-0 down only to lose out in stoppage time.[/p][p]The Clarets only mustered a solitary shot in the first half, leaving themselves with work to do once more, as they trailed at half time for a league-high 16th time in the PL this season.[/p][image alt="FT stats" id="0a8f162a-b0af-4fc9-a19a-df1604ab0c5b" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="4f1eed32-9fd6-4501-bfe7-fdbf4c45b04e" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]With [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/everton/KluSTr9s/"]Everton[/a] very much in command in terms of general play, they were keen to find a second goal to ease any potential nerves inside the final half-hour. And on the hour mark, they managed to do just that with their first shot on target of the second half.[/p][p][b]The ball was worked to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ndiaye-iliman/Im0c6Oy7/"]Iliman Ndiaye[/a] just outside the area, and the Senegalese international slipped it through to fellow midfielder [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dewsbury-hall-kiernan/p2OLMO3D/"]Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall[/a], who lifted his effort from inside the area over Dúbravka to double the home side’s advantage.[/b][/p][p]Perhaps still harbouring memories of recent capitulations at the Hill-Dickinson Stadium, Everton played it safe for the remainder, meaning that the Toffees' vital second goal proved to be the final moment of note on a truly miserable evening for the Clarets and their long-suffering supporters.[/p][p]In response to that, the visitors only managed to fashion two shots on target in the second half on the way to an 18th defeat of the season.[/p][image alt="Momentum" id="62ec60f3-de7b-4671-8fb5-8a62d686a191" credit-line="Opta by Stats Perform" guid="d9fd5079-1056-4b1c-8e72-09f8ea131a63" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]As well as emerging victorious at the Hill Dickinson Stadium for the first time in three months, Everton also ended their four-game winless run at home on Tuesday. [/p][p]They remain eighth and still very much in touch with the sides around them, chasing a European place.[/p][p]Burnley, meanwhile, seem destined for a third relegation from the PL to the Championship in the last five seasons – they stay 19th and eight points adrift of safety with just nine matches remaining.[/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/garner-james/zctP50uI/"]James Garner[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/everton/KluSTr9s/"]Everton[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/burnley-z3dmTMMO/everton-KluSTr9s/summary/stats/?mid=t8Hq7j13"]Catch up on the match stats with Flashscore[/a][/b][/p]