Relegation-threatened Burnley are set to host Everton at Turf Moor this Saturday, marking the first of two crucial home fixtures as the Premier League season approaches its halfway point. The Clarets, currently languishing seven points adrift of safety, face a daunting challenge to avoid an immediate return to the Championship. Conversely, visitors Everton arrive with aspirations of pushing for European qualification, having defied earlier expectations to establish a top-half position in a fiercely contested league.
Burnley’s recent form paints a stark picture of their struggles. Following a brief upturn in October with consecutive victories, the Lancashire club endured a seven-match losing streak that severely impacted their league standing. While a late equaliser from Armando Broja salvaged a point against Bournemouth in their last outing, the team remains the most underwhelming of the newly-promoted sides, grappling with a significant goal drought, particularly at home where they have netted just seven times – the lowest in the division.
Everton, under manager Sean Dyche, find themselves in a more favourable position, set to spend Christmas in the top half of the table for the first time since 2020. Despite a challenging run of fixtures against title contenders Chelsea and Arsenal, which yielded no points, the Toffees demonstrated resilience and competitive spirit. Their current league position, however, remains precarious, with only two points separating them from Bournemouth in 15th place, underscoring the tight margins within the Premier League’s mid-table./https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2Fuploads%2F2025%2F11%2Fzian-flemming-692b284ee359f024062414.jpg)
Historically, Burnley has enjoyed a notable record against Everton, securing more Premier League wins against them than any other opponent. This historical advantage could offer a psychological boost, though the Clarets have lost their last three, and four of the last five, encounters with the Merseyside club. Furthermore, Burnley’s formidable home record from their Championship promotion campaign has not translated to the top flight, where they have suffered five defeats in eight home outings this season, giving them the third-worst home record in the division.
A fascinating tactical aspect to this encounter lies in both teams’ propensity for late goals. Everton has scored a significant portion of their goals – five out of eighteen – in the final fifteen minutes of matches. This statistic could prove decisive, as Burnley has shown considerable vulnerability in the same period, conceding ten of their thirty-four goals in the dying stages of games. The visitors will undoubtedly look to exploit this potential weakness, aiming to deliver a decisive late blow./https%3A%2F%2Fsportsmole-media-prod.s3.gra.io.cloud.ovh.net%2F20%2F33%2Fsm-words-green-background.png)
Both sides contend with considerable squad depletion ahead of the fixture, particularly due to the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations and a string of injuries. Burnley faces the absence of several key players, including Jordan Beyer, who continues to recover from a hamstring injury sustained in August, and Connor Roberts with an Achilles problem. Maxime Esteve remains doubtful, while long-term absentee Zeki Amdouni is still rehabilitating from an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Further complicating matters for Burnley are international call-ups, with Hannibal Mejbri, Axel Tuanzebe, and Lyle Foster representing their nations at AFCON. Mejbri would have been unavailable regardless, as he completes a four-game suspension. Everton also feels the impact of international duty, with key midfielders Idrissa Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye away with the Senegal national team. Defensive concerns also loom for the Toffees, as Jarrad Branthwaite, Seamus Coleman, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall are all sidelined with hamstring issues, potentially opening a path for striker Beto to reclaim a starting position.
Considering Burnley’s profound struggles and Everton’s more stable, albeit tightly contested, league position, the visitors enter this match as clear favourites. While Everton’s recent away record against newly-promoted Premier League sides has been mixed, failing to win their last two such encounters, the current form and squad dynamics strongly suggest they will leave Lancashire with maximum points. A victory would further solidify Everton’s European ambitions, while a defeat would deepen Burnley’s relegation worries.
