Sunderland is now in fourth place after the draw.
On his first visit back to the Stadium of Light, David Moyes, the manager who led Sunderland to a terrible relegation eight years ago, discovered a very different team. Sunderland was in decline at the time. Things are improving now.
After a 1-1 draw with Moyes’ Everton team, Régis Le Bris’ outstanding Sunderland moved up to fourth place ahead of their home match against Arsenal on Saturday. Iliman Ndiaye’s outstanding first goal was negated by a deflected effort from the formidable Granit Xhaka.
Sunderland was surprisingly on the defensive for the first half hour at home, and Everton, who had dominated much of the first half, will have been regrettable not to have farther up at the half. After the interval, things were different. Sunderland dominated the Everton goal, but they were unable to force a winner.
Nevertheless, with 10 games remaining, the outcome put the home team up to 18 points, over halfway to safety. For a squad that was supposed to be competing further down the table, that is an incredible accomplishment. When Mikel Arteta brings the Premier League leaders to Wearside, it will be their biggest top-flight test to far.
After Sam Allardyce left to take control of England in the summer of 2016, Moyes quickly took over Sunderland for what would turn out to be a protracted and difficult season. The injury-plagued season did not end well, but Moyes would stay at the Stadium of Light longer than Allardyce would at the Football Association. The season ended poorly, and Sunderland made poor purchases. Moyes resigned when the squad finished with just 24 points.
As Sunderland struggled to compete where they were in the pyramid, it would have been difficult for supporters to envision the team fighting in the top tiers of the Premier League during the dark days of their four-year spell in League One. This was followed by another relegation.
Moyes claimed to have had a “good time” in Wearside before to the match, even though it was his only relegation as manager. Supporters have less positive memories of the campaign. After his team had gone two games without a goal, Moyes started Thierno Barry up front instead of Beto, while Le Bris named an unchanged squad.
Everton quickly scored a goal, and Barry contributed to that. With Barry’s assistance, Iliman Ndiaye grabbed the ball on the right and sprinted in the direction of the box. After deftly sidestepping three challenges, he got the ball on his left foot and opened the scoring with a shot that took Sunderland goalkeeper Robin Roefs by surprise.
During a dominant Everton stretch, Jack Grealish, a dangerous left-winger, hit the post from 20 yards out. Dan Ballard headed a ball from Nordi Mukiele towards goal, but Everton scrambled the ball away as Sunderland rallied late in the half after struggling to keep the ball for the first half. Nevertheless, there was no first-half shot on goal against Jordan Pickford, the former Sunderland goalkeeper who made his first appearance at the stadium since departing the same summer as Moyes.
But Sunderland doesn’t give up. “Till The End” was the motto of the Championship playoff run the previous season, and they were back to level one minute after the restart. Enzo Le Fée teed up Sunderland’s captain on the outskirts of the box, while James Tarkowski unintentionally redirected a Granit Xhaka shot past Pickford, leaving him defenseless.
Pickford did a good job of stopping a Le Fée strike that bounced off Wilson Isidor. Everton and the Stadium of Light were booming, as Moyes substituted Beto for Barry. The home team consistently got the ball back after losing possession, and every Sunderland challenge was met with thunderous applause. They persisted in their attack for a second goal, and Mukiele’s long throw sent everyone reeling.
Le Bris’ team launched a relentless attack as Everton found it difficult to escape their half. During a sticky spell, Moyes made a second move, replacing Ndiaye with Dwight McNeil, but they were unable to get the ball to stick up front.
As the home crowd encouraged their team, Everton held Sunderland out despite the persistent pressure as Le Bris’ squad felt victory. Somehow, the guests managed to avoid becoming stuck. Before Le Bris substituted Brian Brobbey and Chemsdine Talbi to give his team an extra advantage in the final ten minutes, Mukiele headed over from close range.
Both teams had to settle for a draw, but Everton found some late legs and fought for their own winner.
SUNDERLAND: Xhaka, Sadiki, Le Fee, Isidor (Brobbey 83), Hume, Mukiele, Ballard, Geertruida, Mandava, Traore (Talbi 82).
EVERTON: Dewsbury-Hall (Alcaraz 83), Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko, Gueye, Garner, Ndiaye (McNeil 62), Grealish, Barry (Beto 57), and Pickford, O’Brien (Ireogbunam 83).
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