AT five to three on Saturday afternoon, Goodison Park’s paddock was bouncing.

Three thousand raucous and rambunctious Burnley supporters were shoehorned into what has to be the most dilapidated and run-down away end in the top flight, hoping that the Clarets were about to put in the kind of performance that would lift them out of the relegation zone and set them firmly on the road to safety.

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Fast-forward a few hours and the mood was markedly more subdued.

This was away defeat number 10 of the campaign and one which left Burnley at the bottom of the pile.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Ashley Barnes’ recklessness had resulted in a red card, ruling the striker out of next weekend’s crunch clash against the free-scoring form team that is Leicester City.

A collective hope had grown among supporters – and possibly the players and the manager too – that having completed the nightmare sequence of back-to-back fixtures against the division’s top eight, things were about to get a bit easier and precious points and vital victories might not be quite as hard to come by. If only.

It wasn’t that the Toffees were all that tasty – although in Aaron Lennon and Ross Barkley they at least had players who could run at the opposition and cause them to commit – rather that Burnley scarcely turned up for the first half.

This was a disjointed and slightly desperate display, best epitomised by the two moments of madness from the usually excellent Barnes.

One positive that will emerge from Barnes’ brief suspension is that it will force Sean Dyche into a change of system.

Barnes is a lion-hearted, combative up and at ‘em centre-forward – but he is not a left-winger, as evidenced by his recent unconvincing spell in that unfamiliar role.

Realistically, it leaves the manager with three options - Scott Arfield, Michael Kightly or Matt Taylor.

Arfield has settled well alongside Jones in midfield and it might create more problems than it solves were he to be redeployed.

As for Kightly, the gaffer has had ample opportunity to try him out there in recent weeks but the player has remained on the bench.

Which leads us to Taylor. In his brief cameo on Saturday, the 33-year-old showed flashes of composure and quality – both of which will be required come 3pm on Saturday.

Defeat Leicester and we give ourselves a lifeline. Lose, however…