Everton 0-1 Burnley: Jeff Hendrick completes superb 23-pass move to score only goal at Goodison Park and heap the pressure on under-fire Ronald Koeman

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By the time the final whistle arrived and the boos came thundering down, the team sheet had long since been forgotten.

Never mind that the prodigal son had been dropped for the first time since his much-trumpeted return to Everton. This wasn't the day to be talking about the waning of Wayne Rooney; this was now all about the crisis enveloping Ronald Koeman.

Burnley, deservedly, had become the latest club to blow a hole in Everton's ambitions, their 1-0 victory - secured thanks to a brilliant goal by Jeff Hendrick - with a performance that defined the meaning of team. 

Jeff Hendrick fired Burnley ahead at Everton after 21 minutes following superb 23-pass flowing team move

Hendrick found the back of the net from the centre of the penalty area after being allowed far too much room to play

After poor tracking and positioning by Morgan Schneiderlin and Ashley Williams, Hendrick sent the keeper the wrong way

PLAYER RATINGS, LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE

Everton (4-2-3-1):Pickford 7; Martina 6.5, Keane 6, Williams 5, Baines 6; Schneiderlin 5 (Rooney 63mins 6), Gana 6; Calvert-Lewin 6.5, Sigurdsson 5, Vlasic 6 (Davies 69mins 6); Niasse 5 (Ramirez 82mins) 

Unused subs: Stekelenburg, Holgate, Klaassen, Lookman

Bookings: Calvert-Lewin 49, Baines 59

Manager: Ronald Koeman 5 

Burnley (4-5-1): Pope 7; Lowton 7, Mee 8.5, Tarkowski 8, Ward 7; Brady 7.5, Defour 6.5, Hendrick 7 (Barnes 87mins), Cork 7, Arfield 7; Wood 7 

Unused subs: Lindegaard, Long, Bardsley, Westwood, Berg Gudmundsson, Vokes

Goal: Hendrick 21

Bookings: Defour 40, Arfield 42  

Manager: Sean Dyche 7

Referee: Jonathan Moss 7

Attendance: 38,443

Man-of-the-Match: Ben Mee

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Jeff Hendrick fired Burnley ahead at Goodison Park following a remarkable 24 pass move. For more stats, facts and data, visit our exclusive MATCH ZONE service by clicking here.

 

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They were everything Everton were not: stubborn, organised and clinical. This success, their first at Goodison Park since January 1976, means they have collected eight away points already, one more than than they accrued on their travels last year.

Yet it left the home fans furious. Some of them have had enough of Koeman and they let him know it but he has blocked the fury out.

'I don't answer this type of question,' snapped Koeman, when asked if he was still the right man for Everton. 'That is not the business at this moment. I try to get the best out of the players.

'If there is no commitment and no aggression that is maybe a reason to think about my future but I thank the players for their commitment. We will continue and I will try to do the best for my job. All the stuff and questions are not in my hands.'

The irony of the day, however, was that the biggest call he made was right. Rooney has struggled recently, for varying reasons, and playing in a team with no pace has exposed him. You could understand, then, why Koeman left him out.

Hendrick celebrates scoring the opening goal as Burnley looked to continue a good away run at total odds to last season

Midfielder Scott Arfield thought he should have had a penalty after going to ground under pressure from Ashley Williams

However referee Jonathan Moss booked the Canadian international, and replays showed that Arfield had gone down easily

'He is a committed to the team and to every Evertonian and he showed that,' said Koeman. 'I explained the situation, that we changed the style of play. Like every professional player he accepted it.'

Initially, the change of personnel had an immediate impact. Everton looked more energetic with the youthful zest of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Nikola Vlasic, while Oumar Niasse provide enthusiasm and a focus up front.

Their drive lifted the crowd and, as a result, Everton had three opportunities in the first 10 minutes: Niasse's shot stung Nick Pope's hands, the Burnley goalkeeper had to be alert to thwart Sigurdsson while Stephen Ward snuffed out Niasse as he threatened.

Everton, through, are stuck in that situation where patience is not limitless and the longer they played without breaking through, the more you could feel the tensions and anxieties gripping hold.

A misplaced pass? A groan. A failure to mark up? A growl. Goodison was becoming home to the Angry Mob and in the 21st minute, the moment they feared - perhaps expected - arrived. 

Wayne Rooney was left on the bench as Toffees manager Ronald Koeman looked to try and end a long run of poor results

Rooney was eventually brought on with just under half an hour to play, replacing the disappointing Morgan Schneiderlin

Oumar Niasse, who scored twice in the win over Bournemouth, started the game but was unable to make much impression

Everything started with a sweeping 60-yard ball from Robbie Brady that stretched Everton's defence; Stephen Ward fired in a cross, Chris Wood kept the move alive, Scott Arlfield and Ward created an angle and Hendrick, confidently, finished.

For a team that is supposed to be one dimensional and favour the directly route, here was a 23-pass riposte that turned Everton inside and out and every outfield player, bar captain Ben Mee, contributed to the move.

'There are no Barcelona statements, but it was a fantastic goal', said Sean Dyche. 'If you're ever going to win a game, win it with that many passes and that finish. We didn’t start well, actually, but after we scored we did all the ugly stuff you have to do.'

The goal spelt danger. Burnley are not in the habit of giving up leads cheaply and they had perfect conditions to exploit: the more they could frustrate, the more they stood a chance of frustrating Everton's fans to the point of combustion, and frustrate them they did. 

With Dyche masterminding the operation, Burnley threw a blanket over the game. After grabbing the advantage, they did such a job containing Everton that, suddenly, it was half-time and the hosts hadn't had a chance.

That narrative continued in the second period. Everton huffed and puffed but Burnley's house was not for blowing down; Mee and James Tarkowski stood strongest, snuffing out the danger with perfectly timed interceptions.

Everton dominated possession but all it amounted to was two shots from Calvert-Lewin, which Pope comfortably gathered, and one from Rooney - who was introduced in the 63rd minute - which continued to gain height as it cleared the bar. It was one of those days. There have already been too many.

Winger Nikola Vlasic, brought into the team after scoring in midweek, takes on full back Stephen Ward in the first half

Schneiderlin takes a shot at goal as Everton tried without success to get their stuttering season back on track

Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope attempts to punch the ball away under pressure from Niasse and Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Everton's Leighton Baines and Burnley's Robbie Brady battle for the ball as the visitors held on during the second half

Koeman became an increasingly frustrated figure, here giving instructions while Burnley counterpart Sean Dyche looks on

Everton supporters display a tribute banner in memory of legendary former midfielder and World Cup winner Alan Ball