Everton vs Burnley 04/05/19
4 May 2019
Everton’s pursuit of the Europa League promotion continues this Friday as they welcome Burnley to Goodison Park.
In spite of a mediocre campaign, the hosts can still secure seventh-place and possibly go to the Europa League as they currently sit four points adrift of seventh-placed Wolverhampton, with two Premier League fixtures left to go. Having improved drastically, especially in defense, the Toffees have kept five clean sheets in their last six PL outings (W4, D1, L1), scoring over 1.5 match goals three times in the process. If Everton win here, it would probably be to nil given the fact that all six of their previous league triumphs saw them beating their rivals without conceding a goal. Far more comfortable at home, Marco Silva’s men have collected 31 of a total of 50 PL points at this venue (62%), as they come into this meeting after racking up a three-game PL home winning run.
Although winless in their last two PL games (D1, L1), the visitors have already secured their top-flight status as they sit 15th with a nine-point lead over 18th-placed Cardiff City. The Clarets have endured mixed fortunes in six of their previous PL road clashes (W2, D2, L2), but those fixtures have not been short of entertainment. Five of Burnley’s last six PL away games have produced over 2.5 goals, with all five featuring goals on both ends. The main worry for Sean Dyche ahead of this trip could be Burnley’s inability to preserve a clean slate, as they’ve conceded at least one goal in ten of their last 11 league away games, allowing 2+ match goals six times along the way. What’s more, the Clarets have suffered a humiliating 5-1 loss to Everton in the reversed fixture, which was the ninth successive H2H meeting between these two sides that has ended with a winner (Burnley: 4 vs. Everton: 5).