Everton put on a masterclass at Goodison Park to demolish hapless Sunderland 7-1.
Sunderland swept aside by ruthless Toffees
Everton put on a masterclass at Goodison Park to crush hapless Sunderland 7-1.
The Black Cats were given a torrid afternoon as The Toffees cut through them at will and it now looks a difficult task for Roy Keane to keep his side in the Premier League based on this showing.
Yakubu and Tim Cahill both netted twice either side of half-time while Steven Pienaar, Leon Osman and the returning Andrew Johnson also got on the scoresheet.
Dwight Yorke had given the visitors a glimmer of hope when he scored on the stroke of half-time to make it 3-1 but Everton brushed them aside after the break to record the most emphatic of wins.
Sunderland are now without an away Premier League win in 18 attempts, and Keane's men were tentative and on the back foot from the start and only a brave block from Paul McShane stopped Cahill scoring with a fierce six-yard volley.
Craig Gordon then saved low down to his right from Nuno Valente before McShane was not so fortunate with his next intervention.
Exposed
The Republic of Ireland defender allowed the ball to elude him 40 yards out and Yakubu burst away. The Nigerian's 12th-minute effort was firm and on target from 12 yards and although Danny Higginbotham got back to tackle the ball deflected up and over the stranded Gordon.
Five minutes later Ian Harte was exposed by Mikel Arteta with a neat ball to Phil Neville and the Everton captain clipped a cross into the box for Cahill to control and fire home from six yards.
McShane then twice hurled himself in the way of Yakubu drives in quick succession before Sunderland finally threatened.
Carlos Edwards fired over a deep cross from the right, Tim Howard tried to palm it away but the ball fell for Grant Leadbitter to head into the side-netting.
To their credit, Sunderland were fighting back and Edwards on the right was a danger, while when the ball did reach the giant Kenwyne Jones he caused plenty of problems in the air.
But Everton were three ahead after 43 minutes. Valente and Pienaar combined down the left, with the Portuguese full-back pulling the ball back for Pienaar to lift into the top corner.
Sunderland still came forward and got one back in added time when Yorke fired home after determined work by Edwards and Jones in the box.
Awful defending
But any hope of a revival was ended after 62 minutes when Sunderland were undone again by awful defending.
Joseph Yobo's 60-yard ball down the middle of the pitch saw Cahill run in between Harte and McShane to drill the fourth past Gordon.
Michael Chopra could have pulled one back a minute later but somehow he stabbed the ball over an empty net from six yards after Jones had caused problems in the box.
Gordon saved well with an out-stretched leg from Osman but could do nothing about Everton's fifth in the 73rd minute.
Arteta was allowed to stroll into the box before setting up Osman from 18 yards. The ball thudded into a mass of defenders and Yakubu was quickest to spin and drill the ball past Gordon.
It was his last involvement as he and Cahill were taken off before the re-start to give Johnson his comeback and Victor Anichebe another chance to show his power up front.
In the 78th minute Sunderland were exposed again. Neville's long pass into space saw Johnson comfortably out-pace McShane before lifting the ball over Gordon for the sixth.
The seventh came when Osman ran through virtually unopposed to lift his effort past Gordon with six minutes remaining.
| Everton |
Team Statistics |
Sunderland |
| 7 |
Goals |
1 |
| 3 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 15 |
Shots on Target |
5 |
| 5 |
Shots off Target |
6 |
| 7 |
Blocked Shots |
5 |
| 2 |
Corners |
6 |
| 11 |
Fouls |
16 |
| 0 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 0 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 68.1 |
Passing Success |
79.1 |
| 27 |
Tackles |
11 |
| 81.5 |
Tackles Success |
81.8 |
| 44.8 |
Possession |
55.2 |
| 51.7 |
Territorial Advantage |
48.3 |
|
