David Moyes takes on some familiar faces tonight, but how have these clubs fared against each other in recent years?
Sunderland manager David Moyes
11th May 2016 – Sunderland 3-0 Everton
It is a game that Sunderland supporters will cherish as not only did it guarantee their top-flight safety, but it proved to be the nail in the coffin for their bitter Tyne-Wear rivals. When Sam Allardyce was appointed Sunderland boss in October 2015, the Black Cats were winless from their opening eight games and lay second-bottom of the division.
The former Newcastle coach would mastermind an upturn in fortunes, culminating with just two defeats in their final 15 games of the season to preserve their safety with a game to spare. A thrilling 3-2 win against Chelsea in early May meant the club needed just a point from their penultimate game of the season against the Toffees to complete the job and relegate the helpless Geordies.
Goals from Patrick van Aanholt and Lamine Kone before half-time had the Stadium of Light in dreamland, before the latter capped off a wonderful night for the hosts with his second. While it proved to be Newcastle’s death knell, Everton boss Roberto Martinez received his marching orders the following day.
1st November 2015 – Everton 6-2 Sunderland
Sam Allardyce had never been relegated as a manager when he accepted the offer to become Sunderland manager last season, but following their wretched display at Goodison Park the following month he must have wondered if that proud statistic was about to change.
Riding high on confidence after winning the Tyne-Wear derby 3-0 in his first home game in charge, Sunderland fought back from two goals down to level against Everton after Gerard Deulofeu and Arouna Kone had given the hosts the lead. Strikes either side of half-time from Jermain Defoe and Steven Fletcher looked to have hauled the visitors back into contention, before they imploded dramatically.
An own goal from Sebastien Coates set the tone, before Romelu Lukaku added a fourth for Roberto Martinez’ men. Kone grabbed his second and third to complete the hat-trick, as Allardyce sized up the gravity of the task at hand.
Everton’s Arouna Kone celebrates scoring their fourth goal
24th November 2007 – Everton 7-1 Sunderland
Everton produced a dazzling display as they sunk seven goals past Sunderland to leave Roy Keane seemingly on the verge of a meltdown.
It was an exhibition in hapless defending from the usually fallible Paul McShane, who was at fault for at least four of the Toffees’ goals. Goals from Yakubu, Tim Cahill and Steven Pienaar saw David Moyes’ men race into a half-time lead. Dwight Yorke’s strike for the visitors on the stroke of half-time did nothing to stem the hosts’ momentum, with Cahill and Yakubu doubling their tallies after the break before Adam Johnson and Leon Osman added late goals.
Moyes hailed the display as ‘the best performance’ of his five years in charge thus far, but for Keane and the Black Cats, it was back to the drawing board.
20th April 2013 – Sunderland 1-0 Everton
When Paolo Di Canio was appointed in late March 2013, Sunderland hadn’t won a league game for over two months. Within three weeks he would have won two, including a Tyne-Wear derby.
The win over Everton, coming a week after the 3-0 victory at St. James’ Park, was a significant step for the Black Cats as they lifted themselves six points above the drop zone with just four games remaining.
Stephane Sessegnon proved to be the match-winner, prodding the ball past Tim Howard for the game’s only goal just before half-time.
For Everton, it was a missed opportunity to close the gap on the top four, and one which David Moyes was left to rue in the wake of the result.
26th December 1999 – Everton 5-0 Sunderland
Former Everton star Peter Reid led high-flying Sunderland to Goodison Park looking for all three points, but came away on the receiving end of a pasting.
They might have been missing top scorer Kevin Phillips, but Everton were far superior in all areas of the pitch as they bossed the game from start to finish.
Geordie Don Hutchinson bagged the first two goals, before Francis Jeffers made it 3-0 before half-time. Mark Pembridge and Kevin Campbell rounded off a perfect five for Everton, as they put Sunderland to the sword in front of a gleeful Toffees crowd who were still celebrating Bill Kenwright’s takeover earlier that week.
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