Everton 3-1 Burnley: Instant Reaction | Explosive

MATCH RECAP

It was a give-and-take first half where both Everton and Burnley created a couple of good chances but were both missing the finishing touch. A fantastic cross into the box from Dwight McNeil was only half-heartedly met by Chris Wood and went wide, with Michael Keane beaten in the air and Jordan Pickford stuck in no-man’s land after charging towards the ball initially.

Ben Mee and Josh Brownhill had good chances too with Pickford and his defence struggling against the high ball into the box.

The Blues had their own opportunities with a well-worked move ending in an Abdoulaye Doucoure shot that was parried away by Nick Pope in the Burnley goal. Everton certainly came alive in the second part of the first half as they settled into the game and the three-man backline formation, but went into the break still at 0-0.

The visitors struck first in the second half, with Ben Mee getting to a cross and Everton’s centrehalves beaten, and it was looking like Everton had been Burnley-ed again with no idea where the goals would come from.

However, Andros Townsend and Abdoulaye Doucoure decided they were far from done today. Townsend’s cross was met with a pinpoint header from Michael Keane to level the game, then the winger stepped in from out wide and with his left foot curled in a goal into the top corner that is an automatic winner for September goal of the month.

It didn’t end there though with Goodison rocking, and Doucoure found Gray streaking through the middle and his perfect placement beat an exposed Nick Pope to make it 3-1 and game pretty much over.

The Blues had a couple more chances to add more goals, but in the end deserved the win from that offensive explosion of three goals in six minutes.

QUICK THOUGHTS

Everton have four more games before the next international break in the first week of October. Losing Dominic Calvert-Lewin for the duration will hurt the Blues even though Salomon Rondon is almost a ready fit to fill in for him.

The three-man backline just doesn’t work for the Blues with current personnel. Allan and Doucoure spent most of the first half chasing shadows and then misplacing passes whenever they did have the ball.

Richarlison as sole striker hasn’t really worked in the past, and didn’t look particularly effective today either.

Much much better from Doucoure in the second half once Everton went to the back four with Gomes on for Godfrey, two assists for the big midfielder.

Andros Townsend. Demarai Gray. Two absolutely inspired signings for the Blues.

Intelligent run from Richy pulled Tarkowski away to make the room for Gray to run into for his goal.