Sunderland vs Everton: Black Cats’ five best wins as Regis Le Bris looks to spring another shock
Sunderland welcome Everton to the North East on Monday night with their best chance in recent memory to record a strong result.
Historically the Black Cats haven’t had a huge amount of success against the Toffees in the Premier League but have to be eyeing what may be just a 10th win in the competition against their upcoming opponents.
Regis Le Bris‘ men recorded another upset victory at the weekend as Chemsdine Talbi’s stoppage-time winner shocked Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
The result leaves promoted Sunderland flying high in fourth place with a quarter of the season gone, while David Moyes’ Everton since 10 places below after defeat by Tottenham at the weekend.
Here, Mackem News looks at Sunderland‘s best Premier League results against the next visitors to the Stadium of Light as the club looks to consolidate an excellent start to the campaign.
Everton prove historical tough task for Sunderland
Sunderland 3-0 Everton – 11 May 2016, Stadium of Light
Arguably the Black Cats’ most significant victory in this fixture comes by the biggest margin, as Sam Allardyce’s side secured Premier League safety nearly a decade ago with an emphatic win.
In a positive omen for the game on Monday night Sunderland had also beaten Chelsea the previous week in 2016.
All the goals were scored by defenders on the day as left-back Patrick van Aanholt curled home a free kick late in the first half, before centre-back Lamine Kone netted either side of the break.
The Dutch full-back’s dead-ball strike wrong-footed Joel Robles and bounced in centrally on 38 minutes, then Kone smashed home his first for the club soon after as the ball came back in after a corner.
He turned home the rebound from another corner after the half to make the points safe as the hosts were the better side throughout.
Sunderland’s triumph was all the sweeter given that it consigned rivals Newcastle to the drop, although the club’s own stay in the top flight only lasted another season before going down under the direction of now-Everton boss David Moyes.
Sunderland 3-0 Everton – 3 May 1997, Roker Park
It was a similar situation nearly two decades earlier, albeit in a different location for the home side, as Sunderland were staring at relegation in their final league game at former home Roker Park.
They held the drop at bay with a similarly-confident win with former Everton favourite Peter Reid at the helm, although it wouldn’t ultimately prove enough as they eventually went down in 18th.
Paul Stewart put the hosts ahead from the spot in the first half after Duncan Ferguson was penalised for a handball, before Chris Waddle made it two after the break.
The former England star smashed a free kick into the top corner from the edge of the box to give the Black Cats some breathing room, and Allan Johnston nodded in a third past Neville Southall to prolong hope of Premier League survival.
Everton 1-3 Sunderland – 30 November 1996, Goodison Park
Reid’s men had Everton’s number that term as they had already won away on Merseyside in relatively comfortable fashion.
Despite the game reaching the half goalless despite Toffees dominance, after Nick Barmby penalty appeal for the hosts was ignored and a Gary Speed header cleared off the line, Sunderland ended up well on top.
Everton were given a penalty in the second 45 after Graham Stuart was held back by Martin Scott, but the Toffees attacker saw his low kicked saved by Lionel Perez in goal.
Craig Russell took advantage to head home unmarked at the other end soon after, before hitting the post when he nearly had a second.
Substitute Ferguson powered a header home from a corner to draw the scores level but a late double from a young Michael Bridges secured the win after he replaced Russell – the first a looping, fortuitous header, and the second a rebound after a Southall double-save.
Everton 0-2 Sunderland – 9 May 2015, Goodison Park
Another crucial win late in another relegation scrap, this time for Dick Advocaat’s visitors to Goodison.
Danny Graham broke a scoring drought of 17 months to put Sunderland ahead in the second half, thanks to a major stroke of fortune when he stuck a leg out as Jordi Gomez’s long-range strike came through the box.
The ball struck him on the calf and looped agonisingly over a stricken Tim Howard and in off the post.
Luck was certainly with the Black Cats on the day as James McCarthy saw a low shot from outside the box cannon off a post, before Jermaine Defoe made the points safe late on in equally scruffy fashion, as Adam Johnson’s shot deflected off Seamus Coleman and hit the England striker for diverting into an open net.
Sunderland 2-0 Everton – 4 December 2000, Stadium of Light
Reid’s outfit were clear of relegation concern for once and well on their way to a second-successive seventh-placed finish behind the goalscoring exploits of Kevin Phillips when the sides met a quarter-century ago.
A stylish win followed with Alex Rae blasting home a beauty on the stroke of half time after a long ball fell loose to him on the edge of the box.
Wonderful link-up play between the Premier League’s archetypal big-man, little-man attacking duo saw Niall Quinn slip Phillips in for a second after the break, but the Englishman could only hit the outside of the post.
He would find the net soon after, however, when he brought Julio Arca’s scuffed shot under control inside the box and poked home past a wrong-footed Paul Gerrard.
Le Bris has Sunderland in a similarly comfortable spot as things stand after years outside the top flight, and on form the hosts should be favourites when Moyes arrives on Monday night.
Adding another win to a relatively sparse list of examples in league meetings between these two teams should help confirm that the promoted side are the real deal.
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