Everton Dispatch Burnley, As Sunderland, Palace Fight Back

Romelu Lukaku has scored in each of Everton’s home games in 2017. AFP/Getty Image

By Oladipupo Mojeed

Everton’s chances of playing football in Europe next season received a boost on Saturday following their 3-1 win over stubborn Burnley at Goodison Park.

Barkley broke the deadlock five minutes into the second period before Burnley secured a penalty from Joel Robles mistake.

Sam Vokes made no mistake from the spot to level matters.

Barkley again put the Toffees in front before striker Romelu Lukaku sealed the game with his 24th Premier League goal of the season.

Lukaku’s emphatic finish made him the first man to score in nine straight home games for Everton since Dixie Dean in 1934.

The win lifted Everton to sixth place, with Arsenal not in action until they visit Middlesbrough on Monday night.

Sunderland hang on

Elsewhere, Sunderland battled to a 2-2 stalemate against West Ham, coming twice from behind in the process.

Whabi Khazri’s goal from the corner ended Sunderland’s seven-game run without scoring.

Substitute Fabio Borini scored a 90th-minute equaliser as the Blacks Cats drew with the Hammers to keep their faint hopes of Premier League survival alive.

Andre Ayew opened the scoring for the Hammers, prodding past Jordan Pickford after a scuffed Andy Carroll volley fell to him in the penalty area.

Sunderland finally broke their scoring duck, with Wahbi Khazri’s corner flying straight in for the Black Cats’ first goal in more than 11-and-a-half hours.

James Collins headed in from a Robert Snodgrass corner to put the visitors in front, before Borini levelled from the edge of the box.

Sam Byram was then sent off for West Ham for a second booking in time added on, but Sunderland were unable to find a winner.

It makes it eight games without a victory for David Moyes’ side, who remain rooted to the bottom of the table.

Costly error

Alfie Mawson’s error cost Swansea a point at the Hawthorns as his side were beaten by Watford at Vicarage Road to remain two points adrift of Premier League safety.

Mawson took too much time on the ball in a dangerous area and Etienne Capoue, on his return from injury, nicked the ball off the young defender and fired home at the second time of asking.

Superb Shakiri

Stoke winger Xherdan Shaqiri’s superb strike sealed a first Premier League win in six games as Mark Hughes’ men proved too strong for relegation-threatened Hull.

The Swiss took aim from 30 yards to deliver an unstoppable shot beyond the reach of Eldin Jakupovic.

Marko Arnautovic had earlier put the hosts into an early lead with a thumping strike.

Harry Maguire levelled matters for Hull with an untidy finish.

A double substitution by the hosts turned the tide as Jon Walters crossed for fellow replacement Peter Crouch to restore the lead before Shakiri’s stunning strike sealed the game for the Potters.

Crystal-survival

Crystal Palace continued their impressive form as they edged further towards Premier League survival, fighting back from two goals down in an absorbing draw with Leicester at Selhurst Park.

The Foxes took the lead on six minutes as the hosts’ lax defending allowed Robert Huth to rise and head in Christian Fuchs’ long throw.

Riyad Mahrez and Jamie Vardy combined to make it 2-0 when the visitors broke from a Palace corner, with Mahrez setting Vardy free before the England striker cut back inside former Foxes defender Jeffrey Schlupp to curl his shot beyond Wayne Hennessey.

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