Goals
1-0: Larsson (67, curled an excellent 25-yard free-kick over the wall after Baines had fouled Buckley)
1-1: Baines (76, pen, drilled home from the spot after Wickham chopped down Coleman in the area)
Bookings: Gomez (10, foul), McCarthy (29, foul), McGeady (57, foul)
Referee: Lee Mason (Bolton) – Had some difficult and controversial decisions to make, but got the penalty call and the Howard ‘handball’ spot on 7
Attendance: 43,476
Entertainment: ****
SUNDERLAND (4-1-4-1):
8 Pantilimon: Made two excellent second-half saves, with the pick coming when he turned Lukaku’s shot onto the post
6 Vergini: Doesn’t always look particularly comfortable at right-back, but his effort and commitment couldn’t be faulted
7 Brown: Defended resolutely throughout and came close to a winner with the stoppage-time header that was cleared off the line
8 O’SHEA: Won his physical battle with Lukaku – something precious few defenders can say – and was aerially dominant throughout
6 Reveillere: Might not be a natural left-back, but hasn’t let Sunderland down in the one-and-a-half games he has played there
7 Bridcutt: Ensured Cattermole was not missed for the vast majority of the game, but blotted his copybook with a dreadful second-half back-pass
6 Johnson: Offered an occasional attacking threat down the right-hand side, with his departure clearly angering the Sunderland fans
7 Larsson: Worked away diligently at the heart of midfield and broke the deadlock with a fantastic set-piece strike
7 Gomez: Tested Howard with a decent drilled effort in the first half and played a number of incisive passes into Wickham down the left
7 Wickham: Always carried a threat cutting in from the left-hand side, but let himself down with the clumsy tackle that resulted in a penalty
6 Fletcher: Battled away gamely against the powerful Jagielka, but was never really able to force himself into a goalscoring position
Subs:
Buckley (for Johnson, 64): Made an immediate impact as his mazy midfield run drew the foul from Baines that led to Larsson’s goal 7
Rodwell (for Gomez, 81)
(not used): Mannone (gk), Robson, Mavrias, Graham, Altidore.
EVERTON (4-2-3-1):
Howard 6; COLEMAN 7, Jagielka 7, Distin 7, Baines 6; McCarthy 7, Barry 5 (Gibson 13, 5); McGeady 6 (Naismith 70), Eto’o 7, Barkley 6 (Osman 86); Lukaku 6.
Subs (not used): Robles (gk), Hibbert, Besic, Atsu.
Man Of The Match: JOHN O’SHEA – The Irishman was up against one of the most powerful centre-forwards in the Premier League, but refused to give an inch as he made a succession of important interceptions.
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