Everton maintained their rich vein of form with a 2-0 victory over Sunderland at Goodison Park.
Cahill and Donovan on target at Goodison Park
Everton maintained their rich vein of form with a comfortable 2-0 victory over struggling Sunderland at Goodison Park.
First-half goals from Tim Cahill and a first for the club from on-loan Landon Donovan extended the Toffees' unbeaten league run to eight matches while Sunderland's problems mount as they sit perilously close to the relegation zone.
Steve Bruce's men have now recorded just one win from their last 13 league matches and are without an away victory since overcoming Bolton on the opening day of the season.
Cahill rose highest to nod home the impressive Marouane Fellaini's cross on seven minutes and Donovan celebrated his first goal in Everton colours shortly after when he drilled a left-footed strike past Craig Gordon.
Sunderland gave a much better account of themselves after the break and Kenwyne Jones was twice denied by Tim Howard, who recorded his third clean sheet in four league matches.
Distracted
Both clubs were knocked out of the FA Cup at the weekend but it appeared only one set of players was able to produce a response.
Bruce dropped striker Jones to the bench after this week claiming he had been distracted by links with Liverpool.
However, it seemed the minds of the 11 he did select were elsewhere in a first half which Everton completely dominated.
Centre-back Matthew Kilgallon was given a debut having moved from Sheffield United last week but, just seven minutes in, he failed to pick up Cahill with dire consequences.
Full-back Leighton Baines found an advanced position down the left and turned the ball inside to Fellaini, who clipped a cross to the near post which the Australia midfielder flicked on with his head and into the far corner of Craig Gordon's net.
Baines and Cahill both played their parts in Everton's second goal 11 minutes later when the defender's long ball was headed into Donovan's path by the Australian on the edge of the penalty area.
The United States international, who has made the move to Merseyside during Major League Soccer's close season, made sure the ball was out of his feet before firing a low left-footed shot past Gordon.
An ankle injury to Kieran Richardson meant Jones was given an earlier-than-expected introduction in the 26th minute but the momentum was all with Everton and Leon Osman jinked his way past a static defence before curling a shot straight at the Sunderland goalkeeper.
Cahill could have done better from Louis Saha's knock-on but he produced an uncharacteristically weak header in the six-yard area, while Baines drove a 30-yard free-kick straight at Gordon just before the interval.
Lee Cattermole, making his first start for over a month, was replaced by Andy Reid at half-time while makeshift full-back John Mensah switched positions with centre-half Nyron Nosworthy.
Fluffed
The reshuffle did little to quell the Everton tide and they almost made it 3-0 in the 57th minute.
Osman dispossessed Kilgallon and released Donovan who rounded Gordon but, with his left-foot shot destined for the back of the net, George McCartney got across to block with his knee.
A minute later Mensah produced a last-ditch tackle to deny Saha as he raced clear into the penalty area, while Osman shot well wide when played in by Donovan.
Mikel Arteta and James Vaughan - two players who have had their fair share of injury problems in the last year - were sent on for a gentle work-out in the final 15 minutes at the expense of Donovan and Saha.
Jones had been virtually anonymous since his introduction and one late fluffed effort prompted chants of "Rafa, sign him up" from the Goodison faithful.
Boudewijn Zenden produced a late save from Howard but Sunderland's major issues are at the other end of the pitch.
Things are improving for Everton though as, with their injury crisis easing by the day, they continue their quiet progress up the table.
| Everton |
Team Statistics |
Sunderland |
| 2 |
Goals |
0 |
| 2 |
1st Half Goals |
0 |
| 6 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 4 |
Shots off Target |
5 |
| 1 |
Blocked Shots |
0 |
| 3 |
Corners |
8 |
| 12 |
Fouls |
19 |
| 1 |
Offsides |
2 |
| 0 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 68.2 |
Passing Success |
63.2 |
| 28 |
Tackles |
23 |
| 71.4 |
Tackles Success |
87 |
| 57.2 |
Possession |
42.8 |
| 44.8 |
Territorial Advantage |
55.2 |
|
