Everton Secure First Home Win of 2026 Against Burnley

Everton ended their lengthy wait for a home victory, defeating Burnley 2-0 on Tuesday evening at Hill Dickinson Stadium. Goals from James Tarkowski and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall secured the three points for David Moyes’ side, moving them closer to European qualification contention.

Match Highlights

James Tarkowski opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with a powerful header from a James Garner set-piece, marking his first goal in over a year – since his equalizer in the Merseyside derby 13 months prior. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall doubled Everton’s lead in the 60th minute, finishing off a move started by Iliman Ndiaye with a delicate chip over Martin Dubravka. Burnley failed to register a shot on target until the 79th minute.

Player Ratings

Here’s a look at how the Everton players performed, according to post-match assessments:

• Jordan Pickford: 7.5 – Made a crucial late save to deny Lyle Foster.
• Jake O’Brien: 6 – Solid and tidy in possession.
• James Tarkowski: 8 – Scored the opening goal and was strong defensively.
• Jarrad Branthwaite: 8 – A threat from set-pieces and composed bringing the ball out from the back (replaced by Michael Keane at 83’).
• Vitalii Mykolenko: 6 – Had a quiet evening, with one poor back pass.
• Idrissa Gana Gueye: 7.5 – Hit the crossbar with a curling shot and combined well with Ndiaye (replaced by Tim Iroegbunam at 86’).
• James Garner: 8 – Provided the assist for Tarkowski’s goal with a dangerous set-piece delivery.
• Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall: 8.5 – Scored the second goal with a well-placed chip.
• Dwight McNeil: 8 – Played a key role in the build-up to Dewsbury-Hall’s goal and had an encouraging performance (replaced by Tyrique George at 86’).
• Iliman Ndiaye: 8.5 – Provided the assist for Dewsbury-Hall’s goal and was a constant threat on the left wing (replaced by Tyler Dibling at 90+2’).
• Beto: 6 – Worked hard but had limited chances.

Substitutions

• Michael Keane: 5
• Thierno Barry: 5
• Tyrique George: 5
• Tim Iroegbunam: 5
• Tyler Dibling: N/A

Standings and Outlook

This victory moves Everton to within one point of seventh-placed Brentford in the Premier League standings, with 43 points. Burnley remain eight points from safety with nine games remaining, facing a challenging relegation battle. Everton’s improved form, particularly at home, will be crucial as they push for a European qualification spot.

As reported by BBC Sport and Sky Sports, the win marked Everton’s first home victory since December 6th.