Burnley 1 Everton 0: Clarets win again as Hendrick’s stunning volley sends Silva to fourth consecutive defeat
Jeff Hendrick’s stunning second half volley sent ten-man Everton crashing to a fourth successive Premier League defeat, and piled the pressure on under-fire Toffees boss Marco Silva.
Everton were easily the better team until skipper Seamus Coleman was sent off 11 minutes into the second half, after picking up a second yellow card for clattering into Dwight McNeil.
It was not the most obvious booking – but Coleman could count himself lucky not to be shown a straight red for his studs-up challenge on Erik Pieters just before half time. So he could not complain too much.
His dismissal was a big turning point, and yet another defeat means Everton are now hovering just above the relegation zone.
They conceded from a set piece for the 21st time since Silva took over at Goodison Park 15 months ago – despite his repeated claims that they have sorted out their problems in that department.
The Toffees left Hendrick completely unmarked at the far post after 74 minutes, and he met Ashley Westwood’s deep corner with a brilliant first time strike.
Coleman’s dismissal had already knocked most of the stuffing out of the visitors – and they never looked like finding a response to Hendrick’s second goal of the season.
Yet it had all started to so well for Everton.
Reaching half time without conceding represented a minor victory for Silva’s side – it was the first time in six Premier League games they had played a full 45 minutes without shipping a goal.
But they were entitled to feel they deserved to be ahead after dominating possession, and forcing six corners to the home team’s one.
One of those corners almost produced a goal, with Clarets defender Matthew Lowton sending a stooping header towards his own net under pressure from Yerry Mina.
McNeil hooked the ball off the line, and Lowton was also in the right place to block Alex Iwobi’s close range effort after good work down the right flank by Toffees skipper Seamus Coleman.
Coleman’s next foray upfield earned him his first yellow card. He won the ball off Pieters with a thunderous challenge, but went straight through the Burnley left back, who needed lengthy treatment after being sent flying.
Pieters was the only member of the back four not to cause Nick Pope some concern – James Tarkowksi hooked a clearance just over his own bar, while Ben Mee deflected a Richarlison effort just past the woodwork.
The Burnley captain has already scored two own goals against Everton. His big sigh of relief showed just how close he had come to an unwanted hat-trick.
Burnley’s best moment at the other end came when Pieters picked out Johann Berg Gudmundsson with a deep cross. But the Iceland international’s tame header was never going to trouble Jordan Pickford.
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Everton picked up where they left of after the break, a superb build-up involving Fabian Delph, Morgan Schneiderlin and Iwobi setting up a shooting chance for Richarlison.
The Brazilian got plenty of power behind his effort, but it flew straight at Pope – and that was pretty much the end of Everton’s attacking threat.
A few minutes later Coleman was late - and seemed to lead with his shoulder - as he lost out to McNeil as they went up for a high ball. Referee Graham Scott had no hesitation in reaching for the cards.
Burnley finally began to look menacing with the one-man advantage, and they have now taken eight points from their last four games – not a bad way to head into the latest international break.