Premier League - Sunderland unstuck at Everton

Eurosport - Sun, 28 Dec 16:28:00 2008

A first-half brace from Mikel Arteta helped Everton to a convincing 3-0 Premier League win over Sunderland at Goodison Park.

FOOTBALL 2008-009 Premier League Everton Mikael Arteta - 0

Youngster Dan Gosling, on as a substitute, completed the scoring late on to seal all three points and register just Everton's second home win of the season.

The result served as a stark reality check for Sunderland manager Ricky Sbragia, who had guided the club on an impressive run - two wins, one draw and one defeat - before being given the job on a permanent basis ahead of the trip to Merseyside.

But a disciplined Everton side, still missing their first, second and third-choice strike force, proved too strong for Sbragia's charges, who struggled to create many meaningful attacks for much of the afternoon.

It was however, Sunderland who started the brighter, Djibril Cisse warming Tim Howard's hands with a shot on target soon after the opening whistle.

But the visitors went a goal down after just 10 minutes, Arteta drilling a well-struck free-kick past Marton Fulop following Kieran Richardson's foul on Leon Osman 25 yards out.

Fulop was beaten for a second time before the half-hour mark was reached, the goal again coming from an Arteta dead ball. The Spaniard fired a free-kick from a similar distance towards goal only this time to see his effort repelled by the wall.

But by the time the ball had rebounded to the Spaniard, who hit it back towards goal with a first-time volley, the wall had disintegrated; Teemu Tainio stuck out a foot in a bid to make a block but only succeeded in diverting the ball past a wrong-footed Fulop.

Sunderland twice went close to equalising with the score at 1-0, Nyron Nosworthy heading over from Richardson's free-kick five minutes after the opener went in and Kenwyne Jones flicking a header inches past the post on 23 minutes.

But Everton enjoyed the better of the opening period and could have netted a third before the half-time whistle sounded. Only a poor near post header by Tim Cahill, again playing as a makeshift striker in the continued absence of the injured Yakubu, Louis Saha and James Vaughan, kept Sunderland's hopes alive.

Sbragia made a change at the break, bringing on Carlos Edwards for Steed Malbranque although the move failed to spark the visitors to life. A dashing 63rd minute run and shot aside, neither the Trinidadian, nor fellow later substitutes David Healy or Dwight Yorke, could change the pattern of the game.

And Everton put the visitors to the sword on 83 minutes when Gosling - on as a 69th minute replacement for Osman - opened his Toffees account with a clinical finish from Joleon Lescott's cross to the far post.

The goal gave Everton renewed vigour and they went close to adding a fourth as time ran out, Phil Neville launching a terrific shot that went just over the bar before Steven Pienaar was denied late on by Fulop.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport

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  1. I refer of course to the very racist abuse suffered by­ Mido (again)by very large sections of the­ crowd..Neither of our teams will go down,both have too­ much for relegation,but whereas we may finish around­ 12th I see NUFC around 15th/16th, Boro will also have­ too much to go down.

    From jack torrance, on Wed 31 Dec 5:22PM

  2. jack. I hate to admit it but your last point is almost­ correct, however I certainly wouldnt describe the fans­ as racist tho there are obviously the brain dead few­ (like at any stadium) and st james is a fantastic­ stadium,not the shed you describe. However on the­ shambles that is the board and management team you are­ spot on, but when you lot go down and we stay up (which­ will defo happen) none of it will matter. He who laughs­ last laughs loudest

    From Tony K, on Wed 31 Dec 3:29PM

  3. Are NUFC faceing the abyss? an alcoholic manager who­ can't control himself in press conferences, racist­ fans who can't control themselves at games,an owner­ who is desperate to sell but can't, a director of­ football who is too afraid for his personal safety to­ watch home games, a striker who is holding off on­ contract talks praying that a big team will rescue him­ and a shabby big shed for a stadium in desperate need­ of modernisation.My dad was an NUFC supporter so I hope­ for his sake they can get out of the mess there in, but­ at the moment this once proud club resembles a car­ crash,the board room must be like the Marie Celleste.

    From jack torrance, on Wed 31 Dec 1:41PM

  4. good one i left my self open for that one

    From clarerobson, on Wed 31 Dec 11:52AM

  5. You accuse me of being into boys then offer to meet me?­ You swing both ways then?

    From Tony K, on Wed 31 Dec 10:34AM

  6. YOUR OLD BOARD WILL TELL YOU ABOUT GIRLS FROM NEWCASTLE­ REMEMBER HALL AND SHEPHERD.HA HA HA .TONY K YOUR NOT­ BOTHERED ABOUT GIRLS ITS BOYS FOR YOU . HOW ABOUT­ MEETING ME CLARES HUSBAND

    From clarerobson, on Wed 31 Dec 9:53AM

  7. Now Gerrard has been done for assault he qualifies to­ play for Newcastle doesn't he? maybe he'll come­ in January.

    From jack torrance, on Tue 30 Dec 8:47AM

  8. I bet you use your right so it feels like someone else­ is doing it for you, closest you'll get.But hey­ don't knock masturbation, it's sex with someone­ you love.

    From jack torrance, on Tue 30 Dec 8:36AM

  9. jack. I'm left handed so I have a huge left wrist

    From Tony K, on Tue 30 Dec 8:25AM

  10. Tony I bet you've got a huge right wrist.

    From jack torrance, on Tue 30 Dec 8:16AM

  11. jack. I knew something was going on between you and­ clarerobson. She any good? Or does she look like Dot­ Cotton like most birds in sunderland!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!

    From Tony K, on Mon 29 Dec 4:25PM

  12. P.S Tony k why don't you keep the dirty mouth­ stuff about clarerobson for your poor wife.I know­ it's acceptable to be offensive to women when you­ support NUFC but it's not on this side of the­ river.Have some self respect.

    From jack torrance, on Mon 29 Dec 10:10AM

  13. What's the difference between Shay Given and a taxi­ driver? a taxi driver only lets 4 in.
    What was the­ drunken cockney chappie's response? "we need­ more players", why? he can't manage the ones­ he's got.

    From jack torrance, on Mon 29 Dec 9:56AM

  14. Tony k what would those reasons be that your not­ willing to discuss, didn't think it would take too­ long to explain, it's because your team only has­ one defender, Shay Given on his own again.If Gerrard­ had been more clinical it would have been 8.The score­ when Liverpool visited our place, 1-0

    From jack torrance, on Mon 29 Dec 9:49AM

  15. michael b 10
    Did you know that the so called­ "Geordies" are as British as everyone else­ there on that Island....maybe you too. At the end of­ the day, you all defecate in the same hole. Stop­ mocking eachother like this as you are all the same in­ the end.

    From sappercommando25, on Mon 29 Dec 8:35AM

  16. i expected liverpool to take all 3 points at newcastle­ but not with that goal margin and dominance. i think­ this is liverpool's season for the league and their­ only threat right now is man united.

    as for­ sunderland, they were very dissapointing, especially­ with the goal margin against everton.chances are that­ they could be relegated this season.

    From ofole, on Mon 29 Dec 7:51AM

  17. Everton should keep it up they really play as if their­ first team are playing anyway david moyes is a good­ coach he knows is onions. MAN.U FANS

    From oyedeji, on Mon 29 Dec 7:37AM

  18. Oh I love this story . as it says :life is full of­ mysterious ,maybe the most important change of your­ life is begin at this moment as i am going to intruduce­ you a
    famous love hunting site,!!!!!!!![­ (((((********mixed loving .­ 【0m********))))))],We are all in need of­ love and care,seek someone to end the fear!

    From Bvus I, on Mon 29 Dec 4:47AM

  19. Kevin Swindle - stupid tard - I was answering a toon­ supporter - I am a mackem you big wet nelly - learn to­ read

    From michael b, on Sun 28 Dec 11:43PM

  20. Come on you tasty Christmas Toffees,only 2 teams in­ Liverpool,Toffees and reserve toffees. I'm just­ waiting for Liverpool to start losing a couple and­ Carragher to start whinging about the boardroom­ wrangling(just because you wrongly thought yous were­ gonna win the league) if I didn't love Everton so­ much I'd be shouting for Man U

    From Phil in­ Fuerteventura Sun/28th/Dec Up the­ Toffees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From phil, on Sun 28 Dec 10:20PM
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