Burnley 2 Everton 1: Match verdict

On paper this game offered little to warm the soul as the remnants of the Beast from the East chilled Turf Moor.

Goals have been in short supply at this ground this season, while Burnley were on a winless run stretching back nearly three months and Everton had been hopeless away from home all season.

But it turned into a cracker that brought Turf Moor to its feet and almost all of the credit for that has to go to the Clarets.

Burnley hadn’t won since December 12, but the only thing that win over Stoke City and this success over the Toffees had in common were the sub zero temperatures. On that Tuesday night the Clarets ground out a 1-0 win that we have come to associate with this side. On Saturday they threw the shackles over and they were rewarded.

Despite a strong first half performance Sean Dyche went for broke at the break, throwing on Chris Wood for Jeff Hendrick, and after Ashley Barnes had equalised Wood netted the winner.

The victory took Dyche’s side to that crucial 40 point marker, matching their tally from last season. That they have achieved it with nine games to go speaks of the progress they have made.

So much of the good Burnley did on Saturday came from out wide and particularly the wing pair of Aaron Lennon and Johann Berg Gudmundsson.

While Icelander Gudmundsson has been chief creator for the Clarets this season Lennon showed his former club what they are missing.

Everton might have splashed the cash in the summer but they were outplayed for large periods at Turf Moor and Lennon, allowed to leave Goodison in January, was integral to that with a display of old-fashioned wing play, leaving makeshift left-back Cuco Martina in a spin.

Lennon was integral to Burnley’s fast start, helping create a chance which Gudmundsson sliced wide from 20 yards and then skinning Martina to send in a cross which Jack Cork fired over.

Burnley were in control but had been warned about Everton’s threat, Theo Walcott sending a golden chance over after quick feet from Gylfi Sigurdsson, and they fell behind shortly after. Walcott turned creator, his cross flicked on by Seamus Coleman and headed home by Cenk Tosun.

Walcott could have added to the visitors lead on the counter, cutting inside Stephen Ward but shooting weakly at Nick Pope.

At the other end Burnley were looking more dangerous than they had done for a long time. Matt Lowton’s cross was glanced goalwards by Barnes but brilliantly clawed away by Jordan Pickford.

The England hopeful was at it again early in the second half, diving to his left to deny Lennon then pushing a Ben Mee header away.

It felt like the breakthrough was coming, but it came from a moment of brilliance from an unlikely source. England manager Gareth Southgate might have had his eye on others but he had to be impressed Lowton and especially the right-back’s wonderful through ball which found Barnes in behind Michael Keane and he rifled past Pickford at the near post.

It was almost a carbon copy shortly after, but this time Pickford denied Barnes.

Everton had offered little after the break, but Oumar Niasse hooked a volley over and Sigurdsson fired across goal from a good position.

Burnley’s positivity had deserved a winner and it arrived 10 minutes from time. Pickford was caught under Gudmundsson’s floated corner, but Wood made no mistake at the back post, heading home to cap a memorable return from injury.

By now Everton were in disarray. There was mutiny in the away end and Ashley Williams capped a miserable afternoon by getting himself sent off for swinging an arm at Barnes.

But for Burnley it was a day to remember.