Everton vs Sunderland. Premier League.
Goodison ParkAttendance39,595.
Saturday 25 February 2017 14:59, UK
Everton's leading scorer Romelu Lukaku is available to face Sunderland in the Premier League on Saturday.
The striker missed the Toffees' training camp in Dubai to fly to Belgium for treatment on a minor calf injury, while midfielders James McCarthy and Kevin Mirallas have also trained this week.
Everton have not lost in the league since the Merseyside derby in mid-December, an unbeaten run of eight games.
They face a Sunderland side that sits bottom of the table on goal difference after a 4-0 defeat to Southampton, their third league defeat in five matches.
David Moyes may recall Jordan Pickford after the goalkeeper returned to training following a two-month lay-off with a knee injury.
Lukaku is fit for Everton, while Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Muhamed Besic are close to returning to full training.
Yannick Bolasie will have a second operation on his knee next month and could be out until the end of the year.
Pickford is back in full training and could replace Vito Mannone in the Sunderland starting line-up, but Moyes has doubts over Steven Pienaar who has picked up a calf strain.
Papy Djilobodji serves the last of his four-game suspension while Jan Kirchhoff, Paddy McNair, Victor Anichebe and Duncan Watmore (all knee) and Lee Cattermole (hip) are all still missing.
After a run of 11 home Premier League games unbeaten vs Sunderland (W9 D2), Everton have lost two of their last three against them, though they did win 6-2 in this fixture last season.
This will be Moyes' second game back at Goodison Park since leaving Everton in 2013. His only previous one was a 0-2 defeat in what was to be his last game as Manchester United manager in April 2014.
An Everton player has scored a hat-trick in two of the last three Premier League meetings between these sides - Arouna Kone at Goodison Park last season (6-2) and Romelu Lukaku in the reverse of this fixture in September (3-0).
Sunderland are one of two Premier League clubs yet to name an unchanged line-up in the Premier League this season, along with Manchester City.
In fact, Moyes hasn't named an unchanged line-up in any of his last 60 games in the Premier League, last doing so at Everton in his penultimate game in May 2013.
No side has taken more points in their Premier League matches in 2017 than the Toffees (14, level with Spurs).
By the day of this game, Sunderland will have spent 175 days in the relegation zone this season; more than any other side.
Lukaku is one goal away from equalling Duncan Ferguson's record as top Premier League scorer for Everton (60).
The Belgian striker has scored seven times in the Premier League against the Black Cats, his joint-favourite opponent in the competition along with West Ham.
Before beating Crystal Palace 4-0, Sunderland had lost their last five away league games. They last won consecutive Premier League matches on the road in May 2014 (Chelsea and Manchester United under Gus Poyet).
Jermain Defoe has scored in 24 Premier League defeats - the only player to have scored in more losses is Matt Le Tissier (25).
You never know what you're going to get with Sunderland. One week they are winning 4-0 away, then the next they lose 4-0 at home.
I think Everton are a good team. They got themselves into a good position a few weeks ago and then had a poor result at Middlesbrough but I expect them to win this game.
In terms of relegation, it's a weird one with Sunderland. One minute you're thinking they will get out of it and then they get beaten the next week, but they have got Defoe.
You can't keep relying on him, but he's the only one who looks like he's going to score. They could struggle now.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (6/1 with Sky Bet)
Everton are Sky Bet's 2/5 favourites for the victory, with Sunderland up against odds of 13/2, while the draw is priced at 19/5.
The Toffees are 9/1 to secure a top-six finish, a far cry from their visitors' prospects, with David Moyes' men 2/9 favourites for relegation. Lukaku heads the first goalscorer betting at 5/2, half the price of any of any of his team-mates, while Defoe is a 13/2 chance to net first.
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