Sunderland 1 – 1 Everton
Everton travel to the Stadium of Light to take on high-flying Sunderland, who have slipped down to 7th place in the Premier League table amongst the group of six teams with five wins each.
Thierno Barry leads the attack in the only change made by David Moyes as he fails to come up with anything new to solve Everton’s increasing goal drought.
Beto is named on the bench, which also includeD Charly Alcaraz, Tyler Dibling, and Merlin Röhl.
First Half
The big Monday Night game got underway at the Stadium of Light with Garner booting it back to Pickford, Barry heading it down to Garner who smacked it first time, inches wide. What a start that woulda been!
Everton enjoyed some early possession but made no use of it until Ndiaye was denied the ball. Reinildo was given almost too much room to advance down the left until stalled. Dewsbury-Hall tried to feed Barry on the counter but the big man was the wrong side of his markers.
A better attack saw Dewsbury-Hall advance and pull it back to Ndiaye but he couldn’t pull the trigger and Barry’s attempt was blocked at source, Garner too was stopped. Gueye advanced and looked to push the ball through to Barry but got it all wrong.
There was little in the way of a press from the Black Cats and Everton were able to show how limited their options were as they failed to retain the ball.
Ndiaye was gifted a bad pass in midfield but the counter never looked really on and Barry messed it up. On a long ball, Traore fought for a wild strike, well wide.
Ndiaye got free and tried to get Barry going, but that didn’t work, so Iliman Ndiaye went on his own, a tremendous jinking dribble infield, beat five defenders, and smacked a fantastic shot on the run and into the net past a static Roefs. Brilliant from him!
Sadiki felt he had been gyped by the referee and he then went after Garner, diving in and the Black Cats collectively lost the plot. Should have been a straight red card but he got away with a yellow. Mukiele then got involved and he was booked for dissent.
Everton had more possession but gave it up too easily. Everton worked it around again and Grealish curled a shot the wrong way, through Xhaka’s legs and off the face of the post!
Sadiki made another mistake and gifted the ball to Barry, Grealish advancing released Dewsbury-Hall but his cross in was very weak. Everton forced a turnover, Grealish put in a fabulous delivery to Barry coming in at the far post for him to burst the net. But No! Somehow, he skied it high over the ball from 3 yards. Just incredible.
Sunderland finally got behind the Everton back line, Le Fee crossing for Traore who missed it completely! What a let-off for Everton.
Grealish tried to move things on from the inside channel but went backwards and, when they lost the ball, Barry decided to dive in on Sadiki. Stupid tackle; stupid yellow card.
After 35 minutes, Sunderland finally stepped up and put pressure on Everton, ending with Geertruida belting a shot over Pickford’s bar. Everton still stood off, allowing Sunderland to come forward, Traore causing problems but the Everton defence holding. Keane saved Everton, talking the ball off Isidor’s toes before he could shoot.
Sunderland drove at Everton again and again, Keane with another key intervention on Traore and the Everton defence continued to be tested, a tremendous cross in looked like trouble but somehow Keane again heading it out of a bear-pit in Pickford’s 6-yard box.
Gana was fouled in the centre-circle but produced nothing from the free-kick, the home side looking for any way forward. But Everton had withstood the late rally by the home side to cling to their slender lead at the break. But it should have been 3-0 with Grealish and Barry on the scoresheet.
Second Half
With their first attack, Sunderland were ahead. Everton failed to clear the ball, Xhaka smashing it first time, deflected off Tarkowski’s toe and Pickford well beaten.
Sunderland came surging back from the restart, Le Fee’s shot glanced off Isidor and almost beat Pickford again but he readjusted brilliantly to paw it away.
Everton tried to settle it down with some possession play, but then took it all the way back to Pickford before Dewsbury-Hall lost it in midfield. Garner tried to dribble out but lost the ball,
Hume went in far too hard on Grealish but only gets a yellow card. Grealish chases down Hume and steals the ball off him before he is fouled by Xhaka. Free-kick wide left, which almost created a chance. Beto on for Barry.
A ponderous Sunderland attack finally broke down and Dewsbury-Hall tried to release Beto but his through-ball was intercepted. Ndiaye needed treatment but walked off, with Dwight McNeil on in his place.
Everton were stretched again in defence, Sunderland winning a corner, then a long throw causing havoc, the ball coming off Gana’s face onto his arm but no penalty.
Grealish had a chance to counter but shockingly lost the ball to Traore! And the blacks were back on their heels, another long throw from Mukiele. 70 minutes and no further changes from Moyes to change the relentless pattern of Sunderland attack after Sunderland attack… only a matter of time?
Keane inadvertently handled a cross at close range, but no penalty. VAR check complete. But Sunderland did get a corner that caused havoc. Everton tried to break out but a poor Grealish pass lost the ball, fortunately Garner fouled.
Sunderland created a great chance for Isidor but he mishit the shot and Pickford was able to gather. But still Everton struggled to get forward until Beto won an advanced throw-in for O’Brien leading to Everton’s first touch in the Sunderland area in the second half — on 78 minutes. It earned a corner but Hume was fouled.
Sadiki got in a good cross, the header not held by Pickford for a corner. Xhaka’s brilliant delivery caused havoc, with Mukiele faking a boot in the face.
Mykolenko produced Everton’s first shot of the second half, in the 85th minute, fielded by Roefs. Iroegbunam was fouled for a central free-kick. Grealish beat his man but the cross was far too close to Roefs.
Another long throw from Mukiele, lots of argy-bargy in the Everton area, but cleared as at least 6 minutes were added on. Mukiele with another long throw. A quick Everton break, Grealish picking out Alcaraz, two on one, but he couldn’t produce a shot and it evaporated.
Alcarz then put in a late tackle for a yellow card, with added time over and only 1 point instead of 3 for Everton.
Sunderland: Roefs; Mukiele [Y:17′], Ballard, Geertruida; Hume [Y:53′], Xhaka, Sadiki [Y:16′], Reinildo; Traore (82′ Talbi), Le Fee; Isidor (83′ Brobbey).
Subs not Used: Patterson, Neil, Rigg, Mayenda, O’Nien, Adingra, Masuaku.
Everton: Pickford, O’Brien (83′ Iroegbunam), Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko, Gana, Garner, Ndiaye (62′ McNeil), Dewsbury-Hall (83′ Alcaraz [Y:90+4′]), Grealish, Barry [Y:32′] (57′ Beto).
Subs not Used: Travers, Dibing, Coleman, Rohl, Aznou.