Goals:

0-1: Graham (53, flicked Gomez’s shot over Howard and in off the post even if he knew little about it)

0-2: Defoe (85, helped Johnson’s deflected shot over the line with his thigh from a clearly onside position)

Bookings: Brown (42, foul); Defoe (66, foul); Garbutt (87, foul)

Sending-off: None

Referee: Lee Probert (Halifax) – kept the game flowing nicely and tried not to dish out too many cards unnecessarily. 7

Attendance: 38, 646

Entertainment: PPP

Shots on 4 3

Shots off 18 7

Corners 15 1

Offsides 2 2

Fouls 10 9

EVERTON (4-2-3-1): Howard 5; Coleman 7, Stones 6, Jagielka 7, Baines 5 (Garbutt 74); McCarthy 7, Barry 5 (Mirallas 63, 5); Lennon 4, Barkley 5, Osman 5; Lukaku 5. Subs: Robles (gk), McGeady, Kone, Naismith, Besic.

SUNDERLAND (4-3-3):

8 PANTILIMON: Stood tall whenever he was needed to keep Everton’s advances at bay;

7 Jones: Dug deep to make life difficult for the Blues shirts whoever popped up down his side

8 Coates: Turned in his best display for Sunderland by making a number of quality blocks

8 Brown: A real calming influence, strong in the tackle and quick off the mark

7 van Aanholt: Defended better than he has done before and also almost scored a stunner;

6 Larsson: Put the work in without every seriously influencing things in the final third

7 Cattermole: His usual tenacious self and made a brilliant tackle on Lennon as he shaped to shoot

6 Gomez: Might not have been the match winner this time around but still got stuck in;

6 Defoe: Worked hard in both directions and got his fourth goal for the club to give the survival fight a real boost

7 Graham: Not as effective as seven days earlier but will take the goal however it came

5 Wickham: Did most of his work in the Sunderland half and hardly got a look in further forward

Subs:

Johnson (for Baines 74)

Bridcutt (for Larsson 84)

Fletcher (for Wickham 84)

(not used): Mannone (gk), Reveillere, Buckley, Vergini.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Costel Pantilimon – was a tower of strength behind a brilliant back four to keep Everton at bay and lay the foundations for a surprise win.