Everton hammered Sunderland 3-0 on Monday evening.
Everton’s Romelu Lukaku celebrates with the matchball and Yannick Bolasie after scoring a hat trick
Everton winger Yannick Bolasie has told the Liverpool Echo that Ronald Koeman asked his players to increase their tempo against Sunderland on Monday.
The Toffees went into Monday’s clash with Sunderland unbeaten after a draw and two wins, and made it three wins from four with a thumping victory.
Striker Romelu Lukaku was in fine form, notching a second-half hat-trick as the Sunderland defence went missing, leaving David Moyes’ men with just one point from four games.
Everton’s Yannick Bolasie in action with Stoke City’s Erik Pieters
Whilst Everton obliterated Sunderland in the second half, their first-half performance left a lot to be desired, with the Toffees only threatening the Black Cats’ goal on a couple of occasions.
Ross Barkley was substituted at half time in favour of winger Gerard Deulofeu, and that change appeared to open the game up as Everton ran Sunderland ragged after the break.
Everton manager Ronald Koeman
Whilst Deulofeu impressed down the right, it was new signing Yannick Bolasie who starred after being switched over to the left hand side, where he terrorised Sunderland right back Javier Manquillo.
Bolasie teed up Lukaku’s second goal with a superb cross from the left hand side, with the ex-Crystal Palace man a constant threat with his power and pace – but the winger claims it wasn’t just the substitution that sparked Everton into life.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Bolasie revealed what Ronald Koeman told them at half time on Monday night, with the Dutchman asking his price to increase the tempo, and once the Everton players did that, the goals began to flow.
Everton’s Yannick Bolasie in action with West Bromwich Albion’s Jonny Evans
“The gaffer asked us to raise the tempo because the tempo we played at in the first half suited Sunderland,” Bolasie said. “As soon as we upped the tempo we started scoring goals, Rom has come out of it with a hat-trick and there were some great performances all round.”
“For myself as a winger, not everything is going to come off but I try to stay in the game and believe in my qualities and I know eventually, with the team we’ve got here at Everton, that the boys will keep finding me and sooner or later I will be able produce,” he added.
What did you think of Everton’s second half performance against Sunderland?
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