Match Day Thread Everton v Sunderland Saturday 25th February KO 15:00

Saturday 25th February 15:00, Everton host Sunderland at Goodison Park

Last time out Sunderland lost 4-0 at home to Southampton and Everton drew 0-0 at Middlesbrough.

Everton aim to extend their unbeaten run in the Premier League to nine matches when they welcome Sunderland to Goodison Park on Saturday afternoon.
Ronald Koeman’s men are in fine goal scoring form, having hit 13 goals in just three Premier League matches on home soil so far in 2017 and the Toffees will fancy their chances of maintaining their superb scoring streak against the Black Cats.
David Moyes, of course, is a familiar face to the Everton faithful, for the 53-year-old Scot spent more than a decade in charge of Everton before leaving Merseyside for Manchester United in 2013. Now in charge of Sunderland, the Scot is desperate for points as his side scrap for survival, but the team from Wearside will face a tough test as they go head-to-head with a home side brimming with belief.



David Moyes:
"It was a busy period over Christmas and New Year so it was good to have a few days off, but we trained everyday."
"I have a choice to make with the goalkeepers. Jordan Pickford is back in training and we'll have to see if he's ready."
"Kirchhoff has been training this week but he's not ready to play and he needs more time. We'll see how he is next week."
"I want to go back to Everton and win. We need the three points and I want to win there with Sunderland."


Ronald Koeman:
“It’s always difficult; they fight against relegation,”
“In the last couple of days I watched the game against Southampton; they lost 4-0 but in the first 45 minutes they were the better team, so we need to prepare ourselves.”
“There are no easy games and if you take it too easy, are sloppy, then they will punish you, but we are full of confidence and we have to show it on the pitch."
“Romelu had a little calf problem but has been back in training for the last three days.
“McCarthy started this week training with the group and Kevin Mirallas as well.”
“We expect a tough game, we need to be on a high level, creating chances to score, but the team is really prepared for the weekend.”



Lawro's Prediction: 2:0
Merson's Prediction: 1:1

Referee: Stuart Attwell
Assistants: A Nunn, S Ledger
Fourth official: A Taylor

Team Lineups:
Sunderland

Subs from Mannone, Manquillo, Lescott, Pienaar, Love, Honeyman, Gibson, Khazri, Gooch
Injured Cattermole (hip Apr), Kirchhoff (knee, Mar), Watmore (knee, Oct), McNair (knee, Aug)
Suspended Djilobodji (1 game)
Leading scorer Defoe 14

Everton
Expected team
Robles, Coleman, Williams, Funes Mori, Baines, Davies, Schneiderlin, Gueye, Barkley, Lukaku, Lookman
Subs
Jagielka, Koné, Lennon, Barry, Valencia, Stekelenburg, Holgate
Injured
Dominic Calvert-Lewin (foot) and Muhamed Besic (knee) are nearing returns but remain out along with Yannick Bolasie (knee).
Suspended None
Leading scorer Lukaku 16

Key Men:
Jermain Defoe

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Defoe will be looking to better his 15 goal haul for last season.

Romelu Lukaku

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Having scored a hat-trick at the Stadium of Light he is the main danger to Sunderland.

Betting:
Everton 2/5
Sunderland 15/2
Draw 5/1

My two pence...
So which Sunderland team will turn out this week – your guess is probably better than mine, I’m just hoping that we play a lot better than last time out.
I am going for a 2-0 home win.

Well done to Everton Football Club for helping keep the smile on this boy’s face

 

No idea why but I fancy us for a draw.

Watch Lukaku bag a hat-trick now.

 

Be a hard game i think you guys are due to start battling hard not to lose and nick a goal....Moyes is always cautious like that away well he was with us anyway...
I would like to see you guys stay up and survive comfortably in the prem for a change i dont mind Sunderland as a club at all so start bagging some points lads but just wait until after this weekend eh?

 

Cracking preview @RTB

Expecting a tough game, Moyes will get a mixed reception and Defoe always scores against us ffs.

Our form of late has been largely good, and on our day we can be excellent, but we were stale at Boro last time out.

Any of you lads making the trip?

 

Moyes will set up to defend as always - How was his reception when he came back with Man U?
All the away tickets sold out - so there could be a few from here.

 

I would expect Holgate to come in and Baines/Coleman to boost options in MF

 

His reception will be mixed. He pissed off many after he left with his comments when he was trying to sign Baines and Fellaini.

He did a great job for us over 11 years, so I won't be one of them giving him stick.

The fan zone is quite good now (behind the Park End) and aways are welcomed in most of the boozers.

 

Ain't got a clue how we'll play but I'm not expecting much. It's my 34th tomorrow so spare me a thought when Lukaku taps in his fifth goal.

 

He got the most stick when we visited OT. His Goodison visit was panto.

 

I was there last year when we got tonked, I was watching in Greece and we got stuffed. I don't expect any different. I would take a point right now. A 1-0 loss with a good performance would not be the end of the world, what we don't want is a hammering.

 

We hardly ever do well at Goodison. Been a couple of hammerings. I don't hold out much hope for a result sadly.

 

Come on you glum lot, teams who have already won their away game ie. Everton won 3-0 at SOL rarely win their home fixture ie. Palace three weeks ago.
So on that basis I'm taking us to win 1-0 Januzaj to score the goal, happy days.

 

I'll be happy with a good performance or even a boring solid defensive display like we did against Tottenham.

 

Defoe shoots and hits Adnan's backside - That will do me

 

We will get gubbed!!
Prediction 4-1

Bart

 

We took the smaller allocation like we always do at Everton. ****ing joke our club sometimes.

 

Hope moyes gives khazri a go but I won't hold my breath. I see moyes sucking off januzai again today. How many chances does that boy get ffs.

Everton to win and btts easy.

 

We could really do with getting a result of some sort here with hull and palace having very winable games. But i can't see anything but an everton win to be honest, though i can see us giving them a good game.

 

If januzai scores I'll eat my own ****.

 

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