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Everton will be looking to arrest a sharp decline in their home form when Burnley make the relatively short trip to Hill Dickinson Stadium on Tuesday (19:30 GMT).
Toffees can't sugar-coat home struggles
The Toffees, who sit eighth, won five of the first nine league games at their new ground on the banks of the River Mersey, but they are winless in their past seven, their worst run at home since going nine without a victory at Goodison Park between April and October 1998.
Back-to-back losses at home to Bournemouth and Manchester United were followed up by an impressive 3-2 win over Newcastle United in a lively game at St James' Park on Saturday. Everton haven't lost three home league matches in a row since September 2023 (a run of four).
The conversation in the aftermath of the 1-0 defeat by Manchester United focused on Everton's bombardment of Senne Lammens' goal via 10 corner kicks, to no avail. Such tactics perhaps speak to a wider creativity problem for the Toffees, given only four teams have scored fewer goals at home this season.
Just seven of Everton's 16 home goals (43.75%) in the Premier League have come from open play, the joint-fewest of any club (along with Crystal Palace).
Thierno Barry's uptick in form continued against the Magpies; his late winner made him the Blues' outright top scorer in the league with six. All of the Frenchman's goals have come in his past 14 appearances, after none in his first 14.
So near yet so VAR for Clarets
Burnley head coach Scott Parker accepted that "the fine margins of technology" had denied his side a stoppage-time equaliser in the remarkable 4-3 defeat by Brentford at Turf Moor on Saturday.
The Clarets, 19th and eight points from safety, were 3-0 down at half-time, but battled back admirably and thought they had rescued a point through Ashley Barnes before VAR intervened and his effort was ruled out for handball.
One man who did get on the scoresheet was Zian Flemming. The Dutchman is level with Jaidon Anthony as Burnley's top scorer in the league this season with seven.
Six of those goals have come away from home; only Chris Wood, who got seven in 2020-21, has scored more on the road in a campaign for the Clarets in this competition.
One telling problem for Burnley is how many of their goals come when they are already behind, as was the case with all three against Brentford. They have scored more league goals when losing than any other side in the division this season, with 21, showing that while their resilience is admirable, their inability to go ahead in games is costly.
For all that Tuesday's hosts may have struggled at home recently, Burnley have a dreadful record when visiting the blue half of Merseyside. They have won just three of their past 21 away games against Everton, drawing three and losing 15.
The previous two Premier League meetings between sides managed by David Moyes and Parker have ended 0-0, including a drab affair at Turf Moor in December.
Only two managerial match-ups have had three consecutive goalless draws in the competition: George Graham vs Gerry Francis (Arsenal v QPR, 1992-1994) and Brian Little vs Alex Ferguson (Aston Villa v Manchester United, 1996-1997).