Everton and Sunderland meet this afternoon at Hill Dickinson Stadium with just one point separating them in the Premier League table. David Moyes is chasing stability after a stretch of three draws and two defeats across Everton’s last five matches, while Régis Le Bris has steered Sunderland to 48 points and wants to build on last weekend’s win to keep a surprise top-half finish in sight.
Everton sit tenth on 49 points with a goal difference of zero, a snapshot of a season defined by parity and the cautious rhythm of a staggered return to their refurbished ground. Moyes will lean on a structured 4-2-3-1 that entrusts James Garner’s six assists and Jack Grealish’s ball-carrying craft with bringing Beto into the game early to settle the Goodison crowd.
Sunderland arrive in twelfth, level on points with Fulham but trailing on goal difference at minus nine. Le Bris’ possession-heavy approach is designed to free Enzo Le Fée between the lines and release Nordi Mukiele on the overlap. Away form remains a concern—four wins in 18 trips—but the recent uptick offers encouragement. Expect the visitors to keep the midfield carousel moving, hit Brian Brobbey quickly once Everton’s press is bypassed, and trust Granit Xhaka’s distribution to control the tempo.
Key numbers
- Everton: 49 points, 46 goals scored, 46 conceded, recent form DDLLD.
- Sunderland: 48 points, 37 goals scored, 46 conceded, recent form DDLLW.
- Both meetings earlier this season ended 1-1, including the FA Cup tie on 10 January.
Set pieces could tilt the balance. Garner’s dead-ball delivery is a quiet differentiator for Everton, aimed at a Sunderland defence that has conceded 27 goals on the road. Le Bris needs Mukiele and Luke O’Nien to lock down the second-phase spaces, otherwise Beto’s movement will pin Brobbey and Le Fée deeper than planned.
Sunderland’s main threat is the passing triangle of Xhaka, Le Fée and Brobbey. If they can drag Idrissa Gueye or Carlos Alcaraz out of position, the visitors can pierce the half-spaces before Everton reset their block. Moyes has nudged Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall higher to support Beto, but that leaves Grealish as the lone natural wide outlet. Managing Mukiele’s surges without surrendering attacking width will determine how aggressively the hosts can break.
Both clubs appreciate the stakes. Everton see a top-half finish as evidence of progress in Moyes’ first season back, especially with Chelsea level on points and Brentford only two ahead. Sunderland’s ownership views a solid first campaign under Le Bris as the foundation for a broader summer rebuild, with Newcastle and Leeds close enough to punish any slip. Kick-off at 14:00 BST will set the tone for the final weekend, and whichever manager finds the tactical edge today seizes momentum for the run-in. All eyes on Hill Dickinson Stadium for the latest twist.
