Sean Dyche said he set up his side to try and earn an “ugly” win as Everton brought an end to a record-breaking run without a victory against Burnley.
The Blues boss said it was a tactical decision to go “long and strong” against a side that is embedded in the bottom three, a move partly inspired by the club’s struggles to turn better displays into successes elsewhere.
He acknowledged this was a performance that lacked fluidity, ruthlessness and that featured a nervousness throughout. But given the four month, 13 game wait for a Premier League win, Dyche was ultimately pleased his players got over the line.
EFC VERDICT: For all of Everton's problems, there's one thing they aren't - that just changed
EFC PLAYER RATINGS: Jarrad Branthwaite excellent and five others good
The 1-0 victory came amid a tough match that was decided by a calamitous mistake by Burnley keeper Arijanet Muric. The scoreline was level in first half stoppage time when his clearance struck Dominic Calvert-Lewin and rebounded in. It changed the complexion of a match Everton were struggling to assert themselves on.
After the game, Dyche explained his approach and thoughts on the game. He said: “It is a win that is important and welcome. We looked at the idea of how well we had played this season and not won, so we deliberately tried to play long and strong and make the game as awkward and ugly as possible and get an ugly win and it worked. We wanted to ask questions of them early on by getting behind them and I think overall it worked. We gave the ball away too cheaply but there is a nervousness when you have been on a run like that and that stops the storyline, it changes the storyline, but now it is important we build on that. The winning mentality is
Read on liverpoolecho.co.uk