Summary
So Arouna Koné takes the match ball after his hat-trick but the man-of-the-match could have equally have gone to Gerard Deulofeu, who scored one and provided two assists. From Howard to Lukaku, Everton were excellent, although for large parts of that match, they didn’t have to be: Sunderland were woeful. Allardyce gambled playing a 3-5-2 and it backfired dramatically, his team lacked a leader when Cattermole went off injured, lacked shape defensively and didn’t take enough of their many chances going forward. After last week’s celebrations, Sunderland supporters have been brought back down to earth with a bump. They remain second bottom.
Thanks for reading and for your emails and tweets. See you next time. Bye!
P.s.
“Whoa ... hold on there ... articulate footballers?” emails Mats Anderson. “Lilian Thuram must be No1. Or at least thereabouts. Silky skills alloyed with steel. Foot wise and mouth/mind wise.”
Great shout Mats. This is from an interview Thuram did with the Guardian back in 2007. Preach Lilan!
Footballers can be like artists when the mind and body are working as one. It is what Miles Davis does when he plays free jazz - everything pulls together into one intense moment that is beautiful. He doesn’t have to think about it; it’s pure instinct.
Full-time: Everton 6-2 Sunderland
Relief.
Updated
90+2 min: The game cantering to a close. Sunderland just need to be put out of their misery. I missed this earlier, but shout-out to Kone for his zombie celebration! Very good.
@SoccerPro how about that KONE zombie celebration?? #Everton v #Sunderland. https://t.co/0TSwkTo8Wr
— FIFAchief (@FIFAchief) November 1, 2015
Updated
90 min: Two minutes added on here.
6+ - The last time that Everton scored 6+ goals in a Premier League game was also against Sunderland (7-1 in Nov 2007). Bullies.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 1, 2015
The last time that I MBM’ed a 6-2 was … two weeks ago.
Updated
89 min: Watmore gets clear through on goal, but tries to lift the ball over Howard, who simply stands tall and palms the ball away. For all their defensive woes, Sunderland have had lots of chances to score today. A moment later, Howard makes two more saves, with Defoe and Larsson both trying their luck. After a poor performance last week, Howard has been excellent.
Updated
87 min: Mirallas is allowed to dribble 20 yards unchallenged into the Sunderland box, and curls his shot just wide. Pantilimon was motionless. He looks like he’s given up.
85 min: Sunderland have been dreadful this second half – the worst performance I’ve seen this season – but they’ve shown an ounce of fight in the last two or three minutes: Defoe is the latest to get to the byline and he flashes a cross/shot across goal, just out of the reach of Larsson’s toe.
84 min: I wonder if Jack Rodwell regrets leaving Everton?
82 min: Watmore gets to the byline, and sneaks past Stones but the angle is too tight for the former non-league player to turn it in. Instead the ball breaks across the six yard box, where Larsson is waiting, but McCarthy makes a brave last-ditch tackle, and Barkley, on his goal-line, is able to bring the ball away.
Updated
80 min: “Hey Michael,” writes JR in Illinois. “Maybe Martinez took Deulofeu off because he was concerned about having to play short-handed. The way Deulofeu plays he was likely to get booked for diving again. The guy is obviously super talented but he really needs to cool it with the diving. He threw himself down numerous times against Arsenal last week.”
78 min: Lukaku is replaced by Osman, and he walks off to another deserved standing ovation. Watmore comes on for Fletcher for the visitors.
Updated
GOAL! Everton 6-2 Sunderland (Kone 76)
Hat-trick for Kone! Of the eight that have been scored today, there have been some great goals, but some better assists. This is the pick of the bunch: Lukaku curling an exquisite cross with the outside of this foot into the gaping corridor between Brown and Pantilimon, who is stranded on his line. Kone simply has to connect from five yards, and he does does so: nodding into the corner. Kone takes a knee and does the shoe-shining celebration on Lukaku. WHAT A CROSS. Best of the season.
300 - Arouna Koné has just scored the 300th goal of the 2015-16 Premier League season. Hat-trick.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 1, 2015
Updated
74 min: This is embarassing for Sunderland. It must be 15 minutes since they had possession in Everton’s half.
71 min: Mirallas has looked sharp coming, getting in behind what looks like a very tired, slow Sunderland defence. He rounds Pantilimon but gets the ball stuck under his feet and can’t finish into the open net. In the end he is forced wide, and can’t find a Everton team-mate with his cut-back.
69 min: I can’t say how many for sure, but Everton just had an attack in which the ball was passed maybe 30/40 times? Mirallas got to the byline and cut the ball back, but Kone was flattened off the ball by Larsson. A definite penalty missed by the referee. Kone on a hat-trick remember.
67 min: Everton are taking the mickey now. Barkley and McCarthy just played six consecutive first-time passes to each other. Cheers go up around Goodison.
65 min: Deulofeu is substituted! That’s a strange one, he’s been the best player on the pitch. Anyway, he gets a standing ovation from the Goodison Park crowd, who sing his name. Mirallas comes on. Sunderland also make a change: Larsson on for Yedlin, who looks a little out of his depth.
Updated
GOAL! Everton 5-2 Sunderland (Kone 62)
Well that’s that then. Every time Sunderland lose the ball, they are over-committed. Stones gets a toe in on M’Vila and Everton break at pace in numbers: Barkley carrying the ball 50 yards without a tackle, before slipping in McCarthy, who was haring up alongside him. The pass is slightly behind the Irishman, but he sends a wonderfully disguised reverse pass to Kone, who lifts the ball over the onrushing Pantilimon from an acute angle. Great finish.
Updated
GOAL! Everton 4-2 Sunderland (Lukaku 60)
Deulofeu again with a magnificent assist. It’s a simple goal, but another marvellous pass from deep, the Spaniard curling a ball around Coates to Lukaku, who is too quick for Brown, and clean through on goal, before rounding Pantilimon and passing the ball into an empty net. Sunderland horribly exposed.
Updated
57 min: Rodwell is booked for rugby tackling Kone. Even though Sunderland are still behind, Rodwell has been quietly impressive in the middle of the pitch, sniping and tackling.
GOAL! Everton 3-2 Sunderland (Coates og 55)
What a cross from Deulofeu. He know has one goal and four assists in his last four league starts for Everton. Perhaps he is a bit suspect defensively, but what a delivery he has – his cross aimed at Lukaku but Coates can only toe poke it past Pantilimon. If Coates hadn’t got that touch, Lukaku would surely have scored.
Updated
53 min: Billy Jones is caught on his heels, and Deulofeu steals a march on the Sunderland defender, before the Spaniard collapses to the turf inside the box. Is that a penalty? Nope, Marriner waves play on. Deulofeu is incensed! He’s given a yellow card, either for diving or dissent, I’m not sure.
51 min: Stones is caught out of position and Sunderland sweep forward again. Defoe is again the provider, this time slipping a clever ball through to Johnson. The winger is run a little wide, but gets to the ball ahead of Howard and pulls the ball back. The goal is gaping, but his pass finds an Everton player, and the home side clear.
GOAL! Everton 2-2 Sunderland (Fletcher 50)
From 2-0 down, Sunderland are level! Defoe latches onto a long ball and does well to hold the ball up. Van Aanholt swings what is simply a hopeful cross into the box, but Fletcher gets up above Funes Mori and powers his header into the corner from five yards out!
Updated
47 min: The current scoreline notwithstanding (as it should be when a team is beating Sunderland), I’m finding it very difficult to ascertain the managerial quality of David Moyes and Roberto Martinez,” emails Stephen Mitchell. “Look at Martinez’s tenure at Wigan and Everton. Now look at Moyes’ tenure at Everton, Man Utd, and now relegation-threatened Real Sociedad. Also consider the fact that Wigan are now down in League 1, while Man Utd are now clinging on to fourth despite having spent loads of money after Moyes’ departure. Are these results largely a case of a certain style of manager being right for a certain kind of club? If that is indeed the case, one might argue that Moyes was a perfect fit for Everton, while Martinez would be a good fit for Moyes’ position at Real Sociedad.”
Updated
Peeeep peeeep! We’re off again. Lukaku and Defoe were just having a right old chat, they look the best of pals.
“Michael: seeing this combination of colours reminds me of the match between these teams in 1985, a match which was—to a distant admirer’s eyes!—one of the signature performances of the great Howard Kendall Everton side,” emails Alan Cooper. “ Might it be appropriate to post this at halftime?”
Half-time: Everton 2-1 Sunderland
Everton don’t even have time to take kick-off again. They’ve had 75% possession this half, but the score is probably a fair reflection of who did what. Sunderland were the better side in the first 15 mins, hitting the post twice, but were woeful as soon as they went behind. They don’t seem to have got to grips with the 3-5-2. Expect changes. Big Sam, you’re back in it!
At half-time, the family of Howard Kendall are given a warm round of applause and presented with flowers on behalf of the Club #EFCvSUN
— Everton (@Everton) November 1, 2015
Updated
GOAL! Everton 2-1 Sunderland (Defoe 45+3)
Out of nothing, Sunderland get one back! letcher curls a ball between Funes Mori and Stones and Defoe nips in, delicately lifts the ball over the slide challenge of the Argentinian and hits a volley – which is slightly deflected off the toe of Stones – looping over Howard into the corner.
Updated
47+2 min: Johnson plays a sloppy pass just out of the reach of M’Vila, but it runs for Yedlin on the right, who feeds Fletcher. The striker cuts in on his left foot but it’s straight at Howard.
45 min: Three minutes added on here.
44 min: Sunderland can’t get out of their half at the moment. They are hanging on a bit here. Need to get to half-time without conceding again. Lukaku swivels and turns Brown but his shot is straight at Pantilimon.
42 min: “I have a fairly vivid memory of seeing Deulofeu score at the Emirates a couple of seasons ago,” emails Mark Bohlund. “Delightful little chap.”
Right you are:
Updated
40 min: And with Cattermole’s departure, all the bite has gone from Sunderland’s midfield. Barkley, McCarthy and Barry have the freedom of Goodison Park. Allardyce desperately needs to change things at half-time. It’s not working mate.
38 min: Johnson has dropped deeper, he’s now playing a more traditional central midfield role, rather than the No10 role he started the match in.
35 min: More bad news for Sunderland, Cattermole as collapsed on the turf. It looks like a muscular injury. Jack Rodwell is coming on.
33 min: Sunderland have perhaps been the better side, but they have failed to take their chances. Since the goal, Everton have controlled possession.
GOAL! Everton 2-0 Sunderland (Koné 31)
Well that shut me up. Kone finishing a delightful move full of one-twos and neat touches. The Ivorian played a slick give-and-go with Lukaku on the edge of the box before lashing a strike into the top corner. Yedlin could perhaps have closed him down a little sooner, but it was a fantastic hit. Pantilimon could only watch it go into the roof of the net.
Updated
29 min: Everton are having all of the possession, and nothing the square root of the nothing with it. But ya know, tiki taka and all that.
Updated
26 min: Lens reads a McCarthy pass and releases Defoe down the left, who cuts the ball back to Johnson. His first-time shot is always curling wide, he should have hit the target.
24 min: Penalty shout for Sunderland! Not given. Fletcher volleyed a shot at goal, which bounced up and hit Barry on the arm. It’s probably the correct decision as Barry was just two or three yards away from Fletcher, but the shot was on target. Seen them given.
22 min: Oviedo makes an excellent tackle to deny Defoe space on the edge of the box, but the Everton man pulls up immediately afterwards. He’s pulled a hamstring. More injury trouble for Everton at the back, although they have Galloway to come on, he’s the only defender on either bench today!
21 min: Gareth Barry shoots! No goal.
20 min: Sunderland haven’t learned their lesson! An identical pass finds Deulofeu in space behind the defence again: this time the Spaniard waits for support and rolls an enticing cross across the six-yard box, which is just out of the reach of Lukaku.
GOAL! Everton 1-0 Sunderland (Deulofeu 19)
Shocking defending. Sunderland have made all the early running but they are behind. It seems Allardyce’s players haven’t got to grips with the 3-5-2 because with Van Aanholt further forward, there is no cover on the left, and a simply lofted pass from Kone releases Deulofeu, who has all the time in the world to cut back on his left foot and squeeze the ball under Pantilimon. His first goal for Everton in the Premier League.
4 - Gerard Deulofeu has had a hand in four goals (one goal, three assists) in his last four Premier League starts for Everton. Opener.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 1, 2015
Updated
18 min: Defoe is booked kicking the ball away after a foul from Fletcher. Silly.
16 min: Van Aanholt has been the stand-out player so far. He’s gone forward with verve, and twice foiled Deulofeu on the wing.
14 min: Sunderland hit the post again! They should be 1-0 up, for sure. Van Aanholt intercepts a sloppy pass and counter-attacks at speed, reaching the edge of Everton’s box and squaring the ball to Defoe. The Englishman does his shift-and-shoot thing, which is saved excellently by Howard, and Johnson is there to pick up the rebound, but can only bobble a right-footed effort against the bottom of the post. Fletcher pounces on the ball, but Howard is quick to smother his shot. Excellent work from the keeper.
Updated
11 min: Shaun Wilkinson is the first person in my inbox today. “After last week’s derby turning on a now-rescinded red card after a, let’s say, sub-par first half performance from Sunderland, there was a lot of discussion about luck and it “evening itself out”. What do you make of that? To me, that doesn’t make any logical sense. It’s like a coin being tossed five times, landing on heads every time - that doesn’t mean it will be tails next time, because ‘these things even themselves out’.”
Yep, it’s nonsense.
“And as for the most articulate footballer, I will go for Clarence Seedorf.”
Nice pick.
9 min: It’s VERY open. I’m not sure where Sunderland’s central midfield has gone: first Gareth Barry carries the ball a full 40 yards without being challenged, then Ross Barkley is allowed time and space on the edge of the box to unleash a shot, which is dragged two yards wide.
8 min: Allardyce will be buoyed by the start that Fletcher and Defoe have made, the two linking nicely in the middle of the pitch. They look sharp.
6 min: Sunderland ping a long ball into Everton’s box, and Tim Howard comes to collect it cleanly. That will make him feel a bit better after last week.
4 min: Van Aanholt crashes the ball against the post! Oh that is so unlucky for the Sunderland wing back. Fletcher won a flick on, and continued his run, latching onto a return ball from Johnson. The Scot forward pulled the ball back and Van Aanholt sidefooted a shot against the inside of Tim Howard’s right-hand post. That could have bounced anywhere.
2 min: Koné and Deulofeu show some nifty footwork, the latter trying a few stepovers. Van Aanholt doesn’t buy them and a quick shoulder barge is enough to see off the initial danger for Sunderland
Peeeep peeeep! Here we go.
We’re having a minute’s silence at Goodison Park prior to Remembrance Sunday, which is week from today. Wreaths are laid, the silence is impeccable.
Updated
The two captains Lee Cattermole and Gareth Barry lead out Sunderland and Everton respectively. The pair have 191 yellow cards and 13 red cards between them in the Premier League.
Who is the most articulate footballer? Glen Johnson springs to mind. He’s a well spoken chap.
Get in touch via michael.butler@theguardian.com or @michaelbutler18
Tim Howard makes his 400th appearance for Everton today. He was many people’s scapegoat for Everton’s defeat at Arsenal last week, and after Joel Robles’ excellent performance in the Capital One Cup this week, his position was seen to be under threat. But he starts. He seems like a very articulate bloke, by the way. He just used the word hellacious on camera.
Here’s the scene at Goodison Park. Today is the first home opportunity that Everton and their fans have had to pay tribute to Howard Kendall.
Updated
Everton’s Ramiro Funes Mori, or Funes Mori as he likes to be called in the media, or Funes as is called by his team-mates, or Ramiro as he is called by his parents, or José (his real name) has been talking to Paul Wilson about the superclásico derby between River Plate and Boca Juniors, about his identical twin brother and about fish and chips. Read the full interview here.
Updated
Today’s teams
We’ve got a few shocks! Seamus Coleman has recovered from his stomach bug, he starts! Just the one defender on the bench though, they still look a little light.
And after last week’s clean sheet, Sunderland have a completely new centre-back pairing: neither John O’Shea or Younès Kaboul are in the match day-squad. And whisper it, but I think Sam Allardyce is playing a 4-4-2! Or maybe a 3-5-2. It’s hard to tell.
Everton: Howard, Coleman, Stones, Funes Mori, Oviedo, McCarthy, Barry, Deulofeu, Barkley, Kone, Lukaku. Subs: Robles, Gibson, Mirallas, Lennon, Naismith, Osman, Galloway.
Sunderland: Pantilimon, Jones, Brown, Coates, Van Aanholt, Yedlin, Cattermole, M’Vila, Johnson, Fletcher, Defoe. Subs: Larsson, Rodwell, Gomez, Lens, Graham, Mannone, Watmore.
Referee: Andre Marriner (W Midlands)
Updated
Preamble
One result, and suddenly there is a renewed sense of optimism among Sunderland fans. To be fair, it was quite a good one – beating your biggest rivals 3-0 at home – but things change awful fast, for better or worse, in the world of Best League in The World™ football.
That said, Sunderland are still in the relegation zone. They finished their dinner expertly last week, but actually didn’t even play that well in the derby win. Big Sam has swaggered but he still has the same squad that looked so doomed under Advocaat just a few weeks back. He will not be able to make changes to that squad for another two months.
But erring on the side of caution isn’t Allardyce way, unless you count his decision to always play a five-man midfield. He’s big, he’s bolshie, dropping bombshells and dropping Jermain Defoe like it’s going out of fashion, he doesn’t give a monkey’s what you think. “Dick says we are not going to stay up, I’m going to show him we can,” he roared earlier this week. Phwoar.
Everton are ripe for the picking. They haven’t won in over a month, their back four is hugely inexperienced and their striker, Romelu Lukaku, has both lost his mojo and has his head turned, with his Mr 15% linking him to PSG. Big Sam is licking his moustache-free lips at the prospect, dreaming of another win. You never know, it could happen.
Kick-off: 1.30pm GMT
Updated
