Everton will face a stern test when they take on a high-flying Sunderland at the Stadium of Light on Monday.

Despite being the newly-promoted boys in the league, along with Leeds United and Burnley, the Black Cats have already made a strong mark after winning five of their first nine games. Their tally of five victories so far is just one fewer than what they managed in the entirety of their last top-flight campaign in 2016-17.

Régis Le Bris’s side came from behind to beat Chelsea 2-1 in their most recent outing, with Chemsdine Talbi scoring a 93rd-minute winner. Meanwhile, Everton will be looking to turn things around after suffering back-to-back losses against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

The Toffees have let in five goals in two games without reply as the strikers’ goal drought continues to haunt David Moyes’s side. Beto and Thierno Barry have just one goal combined in between them and unsurprisingly, they are the centre of the discussions heading into this game.

Here are the important talking points before Sunderland vs Everton:

Will David Moyes experiment at Number 9?

The most interesting takeaway from Moyes’s pre-match press conference was when he mentioned that he might consider other options if his strikers continue to misfire. 

While newcomer Barry is yet to open his goal-scoring account, he has barely been at the end of meaningful chances to score, accumulating an xG of 0.5 from nine appearances, seven of them from the bench. Beto has played a lot more but has scored only once from an xG of 3.9. 

“I will look to see if there are other options and if I think I’m not getting what I want, I’ll look to see what else there is. We’ve got two people who are number nines or that way,” said Moyes.

“We’ve got one or two other people who could possibly come into that debate as well but we won’t bury our head in the sand, we’re certainly thinking about it.”

It remains to be seen whether Moyes continues to trust his strikers before deciding he’s had enough. Should he shake things around, I reckon Iliman Ndiaye and Charly Alcaraz should be the top candidates to become the new focal point of the team’s attack. Michael Keane worth a shout, perhaps? 

Should Merlin Röhl start against Sunderland?

Merlin Röhl is yet to make his first start for the club since signing for Everton on Deadline Day. The German midfielder made his first appearance in the 0-0 draw with Aston Villa before suffering an injury. Röhl made his return to the pitch with cameos off the bench against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Early impressions of Röhl are overwhelmingly positive with Moyes and his staff speaking highly of their latest acquisition. The lanky central midfielder brings a lot of versatility along with a towering physical presence to the middle of the park.

As such, it might be worth it to consider awarding Röhl his first start in a royal blue shirt, especially in place of Idrissa Gana Gueye. The veteran midfielder hasn’t managed to replicate his fantastic form from last season and has been a passenger in several games so far this season.

Reader Comments (8)

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Kevin Molloy
1 Posted 02/11/2025 at 14:04:55
Barry's had two starts.

I think the last 10 years will take another 10 years to work out of the system. We're all still traumatised, and operating on emergency functioning. 'He's still not scored! He's still not scored! What was Moyes thinking!'

And breathe...

Martin Reppion
2 Posted 02/11/2025 at 14:14:33
The perennial issue of a decent central striker will continue as long as we continue to under-perform in front of goal. I genuinely believe that the best Number 9 at the club is Michael Keane, but that is not going to happen.

Beto has had his chances and doesn't look the part. It is time to either go with Barry, or play without a 'big man' up top. Having said that, Dibling is no midget, and with his pace could be an option there. (Thierry Henry began his career as a winger.)

The truth is that any option is better than Beto, and there are a few that look better than Barry, for now.

In midfield, it is definitely time to see what Röhl can do, probably alongside Garner. I think he would give us more options and we would also have two box-to-box midfielders who could prove to be a long-term solution. With either Dewsbury-Hall, Alcaraz or McNeil making up the three, we would have some creativity supporting the forward line.

It is time to get on the front foot and let teams know we are up for a game.

Mark Wynne
3 Posted 02/11/2025 at 15:17:58
Beto and Gueye will be in that 11. Nothing to see here.
Paul Greenly Jones
4 Posted 02/11/2025 at 15:50:40
Got a feeling we’re going to set up to counter, expect Beto to start, that’s how he scored his goals previously, hopefully he’s varied his finishing as most keepers will have him in their homework book!
Jim Bennings
5 Posted 02/11/2025 at 16:26:19
Hard one to call really, if we get beat tomorrow night then the Fulham game next week, while maybe not filed under yet as a must win, it will be getting closer to that bracket.


Bill Gall
7 Posted 02/11/2025 at 16:58:21
Looking at the present league positions, and although it is not a must-win game, being in the Bottom 8 is starting to look a little scary.

We have the quality in the team but the manager has to realize that his game plan for a Number 9 to score is not working and he needs to change it.

It seems pointless in the manager moaning about certain players not scoring and still playing them, hoping they may turn into prolific scorers.

Clive Rogers
8 Posted 02/11/2025 at 17:37:07
It's getting tight at the bottom with Fulham and West Ham both winning this weekend. Even Forest got a point.

We are in the bottom 6 now and could do with at least a point tomorrow.

Andrew Clare
9 Posted 02/11/2025 at 17:59:55
I think all games are must win games. If they are approached with any other mindset trouble will be ahead. Sunderland have had a great start and their fans will be hoping it will continue against us.

This is a winnable game as long as we are set up properly.

Fingers crossed.

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