Everton vs Burnley – News and Probable Lineups

At opposite ends of thrilling fixtures over the weekend, Everton and Burnley face off in a Premier League clash on Tuesday at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

The Toffees caused a surprise by defeating Newcastle United 3-2 in their Saturday outing, whereas the Clarets were heartbreakingly denied what could have been a legendary comeback against Brentford.

Match overview

Saturday was chaotic at various grounds, with an astonishing 19 goals scored during the matches involving Newcastle United vs Everton, Burnley vs Brentford, and Liverpool vs West Ham United, three of those coming from the team in blue from Merseyside.

David Moyes’s men surged ahead twice at St James’ Park via Jarrad Branthwaite and Beto, only to be pulled back each time by Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy, but Thierno Barry’s scrappy finish was crucial in the closing stages.

Notably, the Toffees were also reliant on an incredible save by Jordânia Pickford, who dramatically tipped Sandro Tonali’s thunderous volley onto the bar—a sensational stop that warranted a bicep flex moments later.

Ending a two-match losing streak in the top division with a spectacular win, the eighth-positioned Toffees are still within reach of European qualification in the Premier League standings, though their recent home form at Hill Dickinson Stadium has been less than favorable.

In fact, Everton have not managed a victory in their last seven outings at home, suffering five defeats and sharing the points in two draws during this stretch—on the contrary, they have accumulated 14 points out of the last 18 available in away matches.

While the unfolding drama at St James’ Park was engaging, it was overshadowed by the astonishing events at Turf Moor, where Scott Parker’s side experienced an emotional rollercoaster over two hours of frantic football.

From trailing 3-0 to leveling the score at 3-3, taking the lead 4-3 only to fall back to 4-4 and then concede again to make it 3-4, Burnley came close to completing a remarkable comeback not just once, but twice against Brentford, only to be thwarted by tight offside decisions and a lengthy handball review on both occasions.

A despondent Scott Parker could not criticize his players’ effort or commitment following a dreadful start, but these qualities do not convert into points for Burnley, ensuring they remain in 19th position irrespective of the midweek results.

To worsen the plight for the visitors, revitalized Wolverhampton Wanderers are only six points behind and could well leapfrog the dejected Clarets, who have conceded 2+ goals in six out of their last seven games across all competitions.

Parker’s squad has yet to manage a single clean sheet away from home in the Premier League this season, but December’s goalless result against Everton did at least end their three-match losing streak against Tuesday’s hosts.

Team News

Everton is expected to approach the midweek encounter with the same squad that surprised Newcastle, now with backup goalkeeper Mark Travers returning from his finger injury.

However, Jack Grealish will not return this season following his foot procedure, while Carlos Alcaraz is anticipated to miss three to four weeks due to a recent training injury.

After both players scored on Saturday, Moyes faces a classic Beto vs. Barry selection dilemma for Tuesday night, with the latter likely favored to start due to the quick turnaround.

Burnley emerged from their painful defeat to Brentford without any additional fitness issues, and Lyle Foster was back to contribute off the bench in the second half after his recovery from illness.

Foster and Lesley Ugochukwu were both substituted in for Jacob Bruun Larsen and Josh Laurent respectively at half-time on Saturday—adjustments Parker should now contemplate implementing from the kickoff at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Josh Cullen (knee), Connor Roberts (calf), Zeki Amdouni (knee), Axel Tuanzebe (calf), Armando Broja (ankle), Jordânia Beyer (hamstring), and Mike Tresor (ankle) remain sidelined for the newly-promoted side.

Everton probable starting XI:

Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Garner, Gueye; McNeil, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Barry

Burnley probable starting XI:

Dubravka; Humphreys, Worrall, Esteve, Pires; Ugochukwu, Ward-Prowse; Hannibal, Foster, Anthony; Flemming

Burnley has managed to avoid defeat in their last two Premier League away matches—marking their first such streak this season—while Everton continues to grapple with issues at their new stadium.

Nevertheless, the Clarets have failed to maintain any defensive solidity on the road throughout the entirety of the season, and a Toffees team buzzing with confidence after their weekend victory should exorcise their home demons and deepen the relegation worries for the visitors.