Toffees leave Moyes in a sticky situation
EVERTON 2 Gueye (40), Lukaku (80) SUNDERLAND 0
DAVID MOYES must have had that sinking feeling as his past and present collided at Goodison Park yesterday.
He watched his Sunderland side lose again to remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table and with time ticking against them.
Everton showed the type of efficiency in recording a routine home win that was a hallmark of Moyes’ 11 years in charge of the Toffees.
It was also another miserable return to his old stomping ground.
In 2014, he came back here with Manchester United for a 2-0 loss that was his last match in charge of the Red Devils.
This result won’ t have the same repercussions, but the Black Cats are now three points off safety with an inferior goal difference to 17th-placed Crystal Palace.
But despite the perilous position, the Scot was remaining upbeat that Sunderland can perform their annual great escape.
“Today was always going to be tough for us,” he said.
“I wanted to come here and frustrate the crowd and we did that for long periods, but we didn’t play well when we got the ball.
“I was glad we only went in 1- 0 down at half- time because we couldn’t have played much worse.
“Jermain Defoe then makes a great bit of space to try and get his shot away. But for technology it may have been given as a goal. We now have 12 games to go and I’m looking
forward to a good run. I am sure we have got one to come as a few teams have had theirs.
“We are not that far way. Sunderland have been in this position quite regularly and hopefully that experience will kick in.”
The Black Cats had been boosted in goal with Jordan Pickford back again after a knee injury for his first appearance since Boxing Day.
The goalkeeper nearly had a nightmare moment early on as Ademola Lookman’s shot squirmed out of his grasp, but Pickford was just able to recover before the ball crossed the line.
He made a more conventional stop to deny Idrissa Gueye at the near post, but there was nothing he could do as the home side went in front before the interval. Teenager Tom Davies spread the ball wide to Seamus Coleman with a raking pass, and the right-back had the awareness to spot Gueye arriving into the box and the little Senegalese midfielder lashed an unstoppable first-time drive into the roof of the net for his first Everton goal.
The game was nearly wrapped up by halftime too, only for Davies’ shot to come back off the base of the post.
The Black Cats were improved after the break and had the chance they wanted when Adnan Januzaj found top scorer Defoe inside the area.
He made room for the shot which clipped off Coleman, beat goalkeeper Joel Robles and struck the underside of the bar.
Less than 90 seconds later, the points were sealed.
When a Black Cats corner came to nothing, Romelu Lukaku was put through inside his own half.
He held off his old team-mate Bryan Oviedo and beat Pickford for his 17th of the season to draw level with Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez in the race for the Golden Boot.
It was also a landmark Everton goal as the Belgian equalled Duncan Ferguson as the leading scorer for the Toffees in the Premier League era with 60.
Ronald Koeman’s side are now unbeaten in nine league games and sit seventh, although the Dutchman is still aiming higher, with Manchester United just four points away in sixth.
“The worst thing for a footballer is to have nothing to play for,” he said. “I like to play for something.
“There is still a gap above us, but some teams need to play tomorrow or after this weekend.
“When it is only five or six points, it’s still possible to reach them.”
However, the result was all put into perspective by the sight of Sunderland’s mascot leading out his side – Bradley Lowery, the five- year- old who is suffering from terminal cancer.