With an unprecedented fourth straight Premier League win potentially on the cards, Everton will feel confident of claiming victory against a Burnley side that should be the weakest of the bunch.
Having defeated a steely Nottingham Forest in their own backyard, the Toffees have seemingly sorted their home form out too with two fine wins against Newcastle United and Chelsea.
Brushing aside a trio of opponents all above them in the table, now comes the real challenge. A relegation six-pointer.
Sean Dyche returns to Turf Moor for the first time since his 2022 sacking, hoping to mirror the EFL Cup fixture from last month which saw Everton run out comfortable winners over Burnley.
However, to do so he will have to employ a few changes.
Whilst Jarrad Branthwaite and Idrissa Gana Gueye’s suspensions are frustrating, and Ashley Young’s injury will provide opportunity, it is Beto who arguably now deserves a start.
How good has Beto been for Everton?
With Dominic Calvert-Lewin having been nursed back to full fitness now, Dyche has relied heavily on the English marksman to spearhead his system.
He is a tall, fast, strong willing runner, who gives his everything for the club even when injured. But, in recent weeks, his profligacy has flared up.
The 26-year-old does have three Premier League goals to his name, but from an expected goals tally of 5.81. Something has got to give, and the way Beto finished his opportunity against the Magpies last week surely has seen his stock rise.
After all, pundit James McFadden would laud the moment: ‘It looked like Everton were just going to wind the game down but this is really well worked.
‘Bruno Guimaraes loses his composure and chases it down, Everton switches it and then it’s put through to Beto. He shows pace, strength and unbelievable composure. This scoreline is a dream for Everton.’
The former Udinese man would certainly boast a better option than Arnaut Danjuma at least, were Dyche to rest Calvert-Lewin, given his hulking frame offers a more like-for-like swap.
Not to mention the boost his presence would give both the fans and his teammates, both of whom seem enamoured with the £50k-per-week bulldozer.
Standing at 6 foot 4, he would terrorise the Burnley backline all afternoon. Meanwhile, the 5 foot 10 Danjuma does not quite have that same presence.
Should Dyche seek to mix things up, which could be on the cards given Calvert-Lewin’s recent struggles, then Beto is certainly the man to call.
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