Michael Keane fights through the pain to help Everton march on with victory against Burnley… with the defender epitomising the club’s spirit after climbing off the treatment table

• Everton cruised to a 2-0 victory over Burnley to continue their recent resurgence
• Michael Keane epitomised the side’s fighting spirit after battling through his pain
• CHRIS SUTTON: I feel sorry for Rasmus Hojlund, Man U wingers are out for themselves – It’s All Kicking Off 

All the greats from Everton’s past will gather for Bill Kenwright’s memorial service on Monday happy to know he would be thrilled by their current run.

The chairman always championed togetherness and Sean Dyche is instilling those values at Goodison again. 

Saturday’s win at Burnley, their fourth in a row, left them clear of relegation trouble and looking up, despite being docked 10 points for rule breaches. Epitomising the spirit was defender Michael Keane, who last started a league game in August and climbed off the treatment table to fill in for the banned Jarrad Branthwaite.

‘I was injured at the start of the week and gutted to think I’d miss the game,’ he said. ‘It was only Thursday I realised I might be able to play. I was getting cramp after an hour. I was just trying to get myself in the right position!’

Keane lost his place after a horrible 4-0 defeat at Aston Villa.

Michael Keane climbed off the treatment table to help Everton march on with a win at Burnley

Sean Dyche’s side continued their remarkable resurgence and their rise up the standings

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‘It is a lot easier to come into a team which has had good results,’ he admitted. ‘You can see a real togetherness. It’s quite seamless when someone has to step in.’

Amadou Onana and Keane scored inside 25 minutes and Ben Godfrey, on his first league start of the season, made a fine interception in front of Zeki Amdouni to keep the clean sheet.

Dyche now has an EFL Cup quarter-final against Fulham to look forward to. You could tell he regarded beating his former club as significant because of his squad players’ impact.

‘We let players know the respect we have for them when they are not in the side,’ he said. ‘The best groups I’ve had are when the people outside the starting XI keep you strong. The players who have come in are delivering. It is a very powerful thing.’

The only silver lining for Burnley was Lyle Foster’s return after mental health issues. But boss Vincent Kompany says he is not ready to play for South Africa at the Africa Cup of Nations.

MATCH FACTS AND RATINGS 

BURNLEY (4-4-2): Trafford 6.5; Vitinho 6 (Redmond 87min), O’Shea 6, Beyer 6, Delcroix 6 (Al Dakhil 70, 6); Bruun Laarsen 7 (Benson 82), Berge 6.5, Brownhill 5.5, Odobert 6 (Tresor 87); Rodriguez 5.5 (Foster 46, 6), Amdouni 5.5. Booked: None. Manager: Vincent Kompany 6.

EVERTON (3-4-3): Pickford 7; Godfrey 7, Tarkowski 7, Keane 7.5; Patterson 7, Onana 7, Doucoure 6.5 (Dobbin 46, 6), McNEIL 8; Harrison 6.5, Calvert-Lewin 7 (Beto 82), Garner 7.5. Scorers: Onana 19, Keane 25. Booked: Garner. Manager: Sean Dyche 7.5. 

Referee: Anthony Taylor 7. 

Attendance: 21,413.

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