Everton will look to make it consecutive wins in the Premier League when they host Burnley at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday. The visitors will be looking to cause an upset and secure their fifth league win of the season.
The home team are eighth on the points table with 40 points in their 28 outings. The Toffees have won 11 games, drawn seven and have suffered defeat on ten occasions. The Merseyside club are pushing for a European spot and are just five points behind sixth-placed Chelsea.
After consecutive defeats at the hands of Bournemouth and Manchester United, Everton returned to winning ways against Newcastle United last time out. While the Magpies dominated the proceedings and came back from a goal behind twice, the Toffees found a way to collect all three points. They will certainly be confident about getting the job done against Burnley at home.
Meanwhile, the visitors are 19th on the table with just 19 points in their 28 outings. They have only managed four wins so far and have lost 17 games. Burnley did secure a win against Crystal Palace in mid-February and then played out a hard-fought draw against Chelsea.
But they are heading into this fixture on the back of a 4-3 defeat at the hands of Brentford. While it was an entertaining affair, an injury-time strike by Mikkel Damsgaard spoiled the party for them. Burnley are eight points off safety, and they will certainly have to pull off quite a few upsets to survive in the top flight.
The relegation-threatened club will be hoping to secure another three points against Everton, but it won’t be easy. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
David Moyes remains without the services of Jack Grealish (foot) and Carlos Alcaraz (unspecified). Apart from the duo, everyone else should be available for selection. Expect a similar XI to the one that stunned Newcastle last time out.
Everton will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Jordan Pickford will be in goal. Jake O’Brien and Vitalii Mykolenko will feature as the full-backs, while Jarrad Branthwaite will partner with James Tarkowski in the heart of the defence.
In the centre of the park, James Garner will partner with Idrissa Gueye. The duo will look to shield the backline and control the tempo of the game.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will be the attacking midfielder for the home team, while Dwight McNeil and Iliman Ndiaye will feature on the flanks, providing width to their attacks. Meanwhile, Thierno Barry should get the nod ahead of Beto to lead the line.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Gueye; McNeil, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Barry
The visitors remain without the services of Josh Cullen (knee), Connor Roberts (calf), Zeki Amdouni (knee), Axel Tuanzebe (calf), Armando Broja (ankle), Jordan Beyer (hamstring) and Mike Tresor (ankle).
But the good news for their fans is that they do not have any fresh injury concerns.
Burnley will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, where Martin Dubravka will be in goal. Bashir Humphreys and Lucas Pires will be the full-backs, while Joe Worrall will start alongside Maxime Esteve in the heart of the defence.
In the centre of the park, Lesley Ugochukwu and James Ward-Prowse will form the double pivot. The duo will look to shield the backline and ensure Everton midfielders do not dominate the proceedings.
Hannibal Mejbri and Jaidon Anthony will provide width to their attacks, while Lyle Foster will be the main creative force in the final third. Zian Flemming is expected to be the one leading the line for them.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Dubravka; Humphreys, Worrall, Esteve, Pires; Ugochukwu, Ward-Prowse; Hannibal, Foster, Anthony; Flemming
The 23-year-old didn’t have the best of starts to life at Everton following his move from Villarreal last summer. He struggled to find the back of the net throughout the first half of the season, but he has finally got the hang of things.
Five out of his total six league goals have come in his last ten league outings. Barry found the back of the net in their win over Newcastle United last time out, and he will be looking to add to his tally against Burnley. Moyes will certainly hope the French striker helps his team secure all three points.
Everton will head into this fixture with renewed confidence after returning to winning ways last time out, and they will see this as a strong opportunity to build momentum. With European qualification still very much within reach, the Toffees are likely to dominate possession and push Burnley back, especially given the visitors’ struggles on the road.
Burnley may look to keep things tight and play on the counter, but their defensive issues away from home remain a major concern. While the Clarets could make things uncomfortable in spells, Everton’s greater quality in the final third should help them edge a narrow win and take another step towards their continental ambitions. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the home team.
