Everton ended a three-month wait for a home league victory with a 2-0 triumph over struggling Burnley, keeping their European ambitions alive.
While the win provides relief, the Toffees’ challenges at Goodison Park are far from over, with Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City still to visit.
Yet, avoiding a slip-up against the Premier League’s second-bottom side was crucial.
James Tarkowski opened the scoring with a routine header, marking his first goal since February 2025. Though it lacked the drama of his last Merseyside derby winner, it eased Everton’s tension.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall doubled the lead in the 60th minute with a composed finish past Martin Dúbravka, bringing him level as the club’s joint top scorer in the league and effectively sealing Burnley’s fate.
Frustration boiled over among the visiting fans late in the match, as chants of “You don’t know what you’re doing” targeted Burnley boss Scott Parker after he replaced Hannibal Mejbri with Josh Laurent.
Burnley remain eight points adrift of safety, with relegation to the Championship looming, while Everton moved to within three points of sixth-placed Chelsea, keeping their hopes of European qualification alive.
Improving home form, this was only their fifth league win at Goodison, remains vital, with Tarkowski’s set-piece threat a key asset.
Everton’s first goal came just after the half-hour mark, with Tarkowski nodding home James Garner’s deep free-kick.
A second Garner delivery, this time aimed at the near post, saw Jarrad Branthwaite rise, though Dubravka managed to keep it out.
Iliman Ndiaye, seemingly back to his pre-Africa Cup of Nations form, helped pin Burnley back. Beto squandered a close-range header early in the second half, while Idrissa Gueye delayed passing to Ndiaye, who had drifted offside.
Ndiaye later set up Dewsbury-Hall for the second goal after a sweeping move from right to left, and Gueye hit the crossbar with a long-range effort.
Jordan Pickford made a sharp reaction save from Lyle Foster in stoppage time, underlining Everton’s defensive alertness.
The victory marked Everton’s first win this season against a promoted side and ended a poor run at home, where they had taken just five points from 24. Manager David Moyes will hope this result sparks a turnaround at Goodison Park.
