Burnley 0-2 Everton: Sean Dyche comes out on top in Turf Moor return as Clarets rue sloppy first-half

Both of the away side’s goals came in the first-half, where they punished Burnley for some hesitant and panicky defending.

In true Dyche style, Everton’s first came via a corner as Amadaou Onana capitalised on James Trafford’s wayward goalkeeping before Michael Keane, another former Claret, doubled their lead.

While Burnley improved in the second-half, they lacked quality in the final third and were unable to make a real fight of it, although Sander Berge did rattle the crossbar late on.

Burnley were handed a major unexpected boost before kick-off with the name of Lyle Foster featuring on the team sheet.

It was the striker’s first involvement in a match-day squad since the defeat to Brentford on October 21.

At the start of November, the club announced the 23-year-old would be taking an indefinite break from football to receive specialist treatment for his mental wellbeing.

Speaking ahead of today’s game, Kompany revealed Foster was making good progress but was unable to place a timeframe on his return.

Two days later, the South African was back involved, having been named among the substitutes.

The Clarets made two changes to their side from last weekend’s draw against Brighton, a game where Charlie Taylor picked up his fifth booking of the season to be handed a one-match ban.

Hannes Delcroix took his spot at left-back, while Jacob Bruun Larsen also returned in place of Johann Gudmundsson.

Josh Cullen, Jack Cork and Luca Koleosho all remain sidelined, while Aaron Ramsey is still missing with a knock.

Michael Obafemi returned to the bench after missing the last two games with a knock.

As for Everton, they made four changes from their last game, the 2-0 home win against Chelsea.

Dyche was warmly greeted with a chorus of “you’ll always be a Claret” as he made his way across the pitch to the dugout and the Toffees boss replied in kind with applause.

One former Claret who didn’t get a warm welcome was Dwight McNeil, who was booed as he took an early touch.

The winger came within a whisker of quieting the home faithful almost instantly when he was left unmarked at the back post in Everton’s first attack of the game, but somehow managed to head wide at the back post.

A spell of pressure from the visitors ensued and Burnley, having enjoyed some control during the opening exchanges, all of a sudden looked a little panicky.

James Trafford, the hero against Brighton last week with 10 saves, continued where he left off with another big stop, this time tipping Dominic Calvert-Lewis’ header around the post.

But Trafford left a lot to be desired from the resulting corner, missing the delivery completely which allowed Amadou Onana to head home into the empty net.

Burnley responded well though and could have levelled two minutes later, but Jacob Bruun Larsen’s close-range shot was blocked.

Midway through the opening half, Burnley were made to pay for yet more sloppy defending as Everton doubled their lead.

To rub salt into the wound, it came via a former Claret in Michael Keane, whose initial effort was well saved by Trafford but he steered home on the rebound.

Again Burnley looked to issue a swift response as the ball dropped to Jordan Beyer following a corner, but his shot was also blocked.

The hosts were unlucky not to reduce the deficit in first-half stoppage-time when Beyer clipped a lovely ball over Everton’s backline for Vitinho to run onto.

The full-back instantly fired the ball across the face of goal towards Zeki Amdouni, who would have had a simple tap-in if it weren’t for Ben Godfrey, who somehow managed to stretch a leg out to divert the cross inches wide of the far post.

With Burnley struggling to hold the ball up or make any impact at the top end of the pitch, Kompany turned to the returning Foster at half-time, with Jay Rodriguez the man to make way.

Burnley initially responded well at the start of the second-half, producing a couple of half chances, but Trafford was forced into an early save at the other end, tipping James Garner’s curling free-kick wide of the upright.

Trafford was again put under strain from yet another Everton corner which was placed right on top of him. The Clarets keeper flapped at the delivery, resulting in a goalmouth scramble where Keane almost added a second.

His England counterpart Jordan Pickford was called into action at the other end, flying across his goal to tip Amdouni’s ambitious long-range drive behind.

With just over 10 minutes remaining, Sander Berge came within a whisker of pulling a goal back when he slammed an effort from the edge of the box against the Everton crossbar.

As it was, Everton almost added the game’s final goal as substitute Beto ran through on goal only to be thwarted by Trafford.

TEAMS

Burnley: Trafford, Vitinho (Redmond), O’Shea, Beyer, Delcroix (Al-Dakhil), Brownhill, Berge, Bruun Larsen (Benson), Odobert (Tresor), Amdouni, Rodriguez (Foster)

Subs not used: Muric, Roberts, Cullen, Obafemi

Everton: Pickford, Patterson, Keane, Tarkowski, Godfrey, Garner, Onana, Doucoure (Dobbin), Harrison, McNeil, Calvert-Lewis (Beto)

Subs not used: Virginia, Lonergan, Chermiti, Hunt, Campbell, Metcalfe, Danjuma

Referee: Anthony Taylor