Toffees’ top ten

to a glorious crossfield pass from young Tom Davies, pulled the ball back into the path of Gueye and he hammered the ball beyond stunned Pickford and ended up in the arms of delighted Koeman.

Everton were pumped up now. Barkley released a long-range effort which was spilled by Pickford and then Davies hit the upright on the stroke of half-time.

Whatever Moyes said at the interval to his troops it certainly worked.

Sunderland returned after the break a far different outfit and played with real purpose.

They were a goal threat, too, with Adnan Januzaj swinging in a corner which Billy Jones glanced just wide.

Sunderland looked the more confident side as Everton dipped below the performance levels of the first-half.

Yet Everton should have gone further ahead when Coleman once more caused danger down the right flank and crossed for Barkley who lost his footing, unable to get his shot on target.

Lukaku tried his luck, too, with a double blast.

Both shots were fired straight at Pickford and the Sunderland keeper was relieved to block both chances.

Then came the defining moment for Sunderland when Januzaj released Jermain Defoe and he tip-toed his way into space to hammer a shot against the underside of the bar in the 78th minute. Ninety seconds later it was all over. Lukaku set off on a powerful run into Sunderland territory, shrugged off Blues old boy Bryan Oviedo, and scrambled the ball over the line for the ROMELU LUKAKU Games: 129 Goals: 60 DUNCAN FERGUSON