Everton 7-1 Sunderland: Goal glut at
Goodison
Yakubu celebrates putting Everton
into an early lead.
Everton smashed seven goals past a woeful Sunderland to register
their biggest win since 1996.
GettyImages
Yakubu celebrates putting Everton into an early lead.
After this 7-1 rout Roy Keane's men are heading back to the
Coca-Championship if they fail to do something about their
horrendous defending.
The last time Everton hit seven was against Southampton 11 years
ago and the Black Cats were put to the sword by a team now unbeaten
in seven and on the crest of a wave in Europe and on the domestic
front.
Ayegbeni Yakubu and Tim Cahill grabbed two each, with Steven
Pienaar, substitute Andrew Johnson and Leon Osman completing the
rout.
Sunderland's only bright spot was a first half injury-time goal
from Dwight Yorke, but with defending as bad as this, there was
never much hope of a revival.
Everton left out full-back Tony Hibbert and had Mikel Arteta back
in midfield, with Cahill recovered from a serious of minor
injuries.
Sunderland had Carlos Edwards and Dean Whitehead returning from
injury, along with Andrew Cole on the bench.
They are now without an away Premier League win in 18 attempts.
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.
Arteta had created the chance with a fine run and cross that
mesmerised Ian Harte on the right.
Craig Gordon then saved low down to his right from Nuno Valente,
but McShane was not so fortunate with his next intervention.
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 Harte was exposed by 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.
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.
Dickson Etuhu and Yorke were replaced at the break by Danny Collins
and Ross Wallace.
Both Michael Chopra and Wallace, twice, fired in long-range efforts
that suggested Sunderland still had belief.
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.
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.
Three minutes later Chopra was replaced by Cole.
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 restart 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
pace into space saw Johnson comfortably outpace 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.
