Everton 3-1 Burnley: Player ratings as Toffees secure spectacular comeback win
Everton had to come from behind to preserve their unbeaten start to the Premier League season, beating Burnley at Goodison Park in spectacular fashion.
The Toffees were relatively poor for an hour, with the visiting Clarets the stronger side. Both teams had chances in the first half but the latter were well worth their lead when it came courtesy of a Ben Mee header soon after the interval.
A tactical shift from Rafa Benitez was the key for Everton. The boss dispensed with a 3-4-3 system that was giving Burnley too much opportunity to attack in wide areas and switched to 4-3-3.
That gave Abdoulaye Doucoure more license to play to his strengths, although it was actually a Michael Keane header that got the hosts back on track. Andros Townsend then scored his first goal for the club with a sensational long-range drive, before Doucoure sliced open the Burnley defence with an inch-perfect through ball for Demarai Gray to score Everton’s third.
All three Everton goals came in the space of just seven minutes, stunning a shellshocked Burnley.
Things calmed down soon afterwards but by then the damage was done.
Everton player ratings
1. Goalkeeper & defenders
Jordan Pickford (GK) 6/10: Made a crucial save in the first half, although it had been straight at him.
Yerry Mina (CB) 5/10: Not strong enough when Burnley broke the deadlock with a ball into the box.
Ben Godfrey (CB) 6/10: Tactically sacrificed at the hour mark to give Everton more going forward.
Michael Keane (CB) 7/10: Got his side back on level terms with a well placed header.
2. Midfielders
Seamus Coleman (RM) 6/10: More effective in the second half as a conventional right-back.
Allan (CM) 6/10: Did his job well patrolling midfield and shielding the defence in open play.
Abdoulaye Doucoure (CM) 8/10: Fortunate not to give away a penalty, but covered an enormous amount of ground between the penalty areas and his raking pass gave Everton their third goal.
Lucas Digne (LM) 6/10: Didn’t get forward as much as he would have normally liked.
3. Forwards
Andros Townsend (RW) 7/10: Had been relatively quiet until assisting Everton’s equaliser with an excellent cross. Then stepped up with an even better goal of his own.
Richarlison (ST) 6/10: Put himself about in the absence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin. Looked frustrated when he came off.
Demarai Gray (LW) 7/10: Continued his fine start to his Everton career with another good goal - that's now three in four appearances.
4. Substitutes
Andre Gomes (CM) 6/10: Tasked with giving Everton more creativity in midfield.
Salomon Rondon (ST) 5/10: Everton debut, probably not enough time to get up to speed.
Alex Iwobi (LW) N/A
Burnley player ratings
5. Goalkeeper & defenders
Nick Pope (GK) 6/10: Made a fine save to keep the scoreline level in the first half. Stood little chance with any of the Everton goals.
Matthew Lowton (RB) 6/10: The damage came from the other side of the pitch.
James Tarkowski (CB) 6/10: Stood firm until the mad seven-minute period that defined the game.
Ben Mee (CB) 7/10: Scored a fine header to mark his 200th Premier League appearance and had been strong until Burnley’s sudden crumble just after the hour mark.
Charlie Taylor (LB) 5/10: Should have been able to do more to get closer to Townsend when Everton went into the lead. That proved decisive.
6. Midfielders
Johann Berg Gudmundsson (RM) 6/10: Recycled possession superbly to put a pinpoint cross into the box for Burnley to get the opening goal. Never ignored his defensive duties.
Ashley Westwood (CM) 6/10: Generally had a decent game in midfield, particularly before half-time.
Josh Brownhill (CM) 5/10: Will know he should have scored in the first half.
Dwight McNeil (LM) 6/10: Burnley’s chief source of creativity in the early stages. His influence diminished as Everton grew into the game later on.
7. Forwards
Ashley Barnes (ST) 6/10: Asked questions of Everton defenders.
Chris Wood (ST) 5/10: Failing to attack a delicious McNeil cross early on was an opportunity lost. Also guilty of lax marking in his own penalty area when Everton equalised.
8. Substitutes
Aaron Lennon (RM) 5/10: Didn’t make an impact on his Premier League return.
Matej Vydra (ST) 5/10: The service wasn’t there for him to get Burnley back into the game.
Jay Rodriguez (ST) N/A
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