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Leighton Baines hits a late penalty to earn Everton a draw at Sunderland Leighton Baines hits a late penalty to earn Everton a draw at Sunderland
(about 2 hours later)
Louise Taylor Maybe Everton’s post-Europa League fatigue was to blame? Perhaps Adam Johnson’s enduring struggle to recapture his elusive form should be held partly responsible? Or might it simply have been a case of the immensely disappointing Romelu Lukaku leaving his shooting boots on Merseyside?
Maybe Everton’s post-Europa League fatigue was to blame? Perhaps Adam Johnson’s enduring struggle to recapture his form should be held partly responsible? Or might it simply have been a case of Romelu Lukaku leaving his shooting boots back on Merseyside? For whatever reason, it took a pair of set pieces, calmly dispatched by Sebastian Larsson and Leighton Baines, to ensure the match did not end goalless.
For whatever reason, it took a pair of set pieces, expertly dispatched by Sebastian Larsson and Leighton Baines, to ensure the afternoon did not end goalless. A game which left Gareth Barry with a suspected broken leg began in deceptively promising fashion. While Connor Wickham – deployed wide on the left and ruffling Seamus Coleman – headed one corner wide and another over the bar, Everton spurned an inviting chance. When Samuel Eto’o and Lukaku exchanged passes Sunderland’s defence was deceived but Eto’o’s shot from the edge of the area proved wild and wide.
It all began in deceptively promising open fashion. While Connor Wickham – deployed wide on the left and succeeding in ruffling Seamus Coleman – headed one corner wide and another over the bar, Everton also spurned an inviting chance. Everyone, and Barry especially, could have done without the interruption prompted when Jordi Gómez tripped Barry and then seemed to, accidentally, tread on him. Gómez swiftly saw yellow but several minutes passed before the Everton midfielder was taken off on a stretcher, his injured leg in a brace, and taken to hospital. “Gareth’s having x-rays on his tibia,” Roberto Martínez said. “Unfortunately he was just stretching his leg out when he went down.”
When Samuel Eto’o and Lukaku exchanged slick, smart passes Sunderland’s defence was thoroughly deceived but Eto’o’s eventual shot from the edge of the area proved wild and wide. On a brighter note Gómez featured in much of Sunderland’s best work and his deft pass to the overlapping left-back Anthony Réveillère (deputising for the injured Patrick van Aanholt who is to have shoulder surgery and will be out until February) resulted in Sylvain Distin rather desperately scrambling Réveillère’s ensuing cross-shot to saftey.
Everyone, and Gareth Barry especially, could have done without the subsequent interruption prompted when Jordi Gómez tripped Barry and then seemed to, accidentally, tread on his ankle. Gomez swiftly saw yellow but several minutes passed before the Everton defensive midfielder was carried off on a stretcher, his injured leg in a brace, and taken straight to hospital. Although Tim Howard smartly diverted Gómez’s low shot after Sunderland’s Spanish midfielder caught Darron Gibson loitering in possession, he was later lucky to escape a second yellow card for simulation after appearing to dive in Everton’s box in the face of minimal contact from Phil Jagielka.
On a brighter note Gómez was involved in much of Sunderland’s best work and his deft pass to the overlapping left back Anthony Reveillere – deputising for the injured Patrick van Aanholt – resulted in Sylvain Distin rather desperately scrambling Reveillere’s ensuing cross-shot to saftey. A little later, Tim Howard did well to divert Gómez’s low shot after the midfielder had caught Darron Gibson loitering in possession. Overall Martínez’s side saw more of the ball and generally manipulated it better, leaving Gus Poyet’s players looking distinctly nervous whenever Aiden McGeady and Ross Barkley ran at them.
Overall though Everton saw more of the ball and generally manipulated it better, leaving Gus Poyet’s players looking distinctly nervous whenever Aiden McGeady and Ross Barkley, in particular, ran at them. Impressive as John O’Shea proved in Sunderland’s defence mystery surrounded the manner in which menacing visiting attacks persistently foundered inside the area as a litany of ill judged final balls left Costel Pantilimon surprisingly underemployed.
With Roberto Martínez’s team increasingly assertive, the only mystery was the manner in which menacing visiting attacks persistently foundered inside the area as a litany of ill-judged final balls left Costel Pantilimon surprisingly underemployed. All poor first touch and failure to hold the ball up, Lukaku should shoulder much of the blame in a game in which he was shown up by the industry and incision of Sunderland’s lone striker Steven Fletcher.
As the bright, low November sunshine slowly began to fade Everton finally tested Sunderland’s goalkeeper. When Liam Bridcutt – in for the suspended Lee Cattermole – conceded possession Lukaku sense opportunity but a combination of the striker over-running the ball and Pantilimon’s diving save spared Bridcutt’s blushes. As the bright November sunshine slowly faded Lukaku finally roused himself sufficiently to test Sunderland’s goalkeeper. When Liam Bridcutt conceded possession, opportunity beckoned but a combination of the striker over-running the ball and Pantilimon’s diving save spared Bridcutt’s blushes.
When Lukaku’s next shot struck the outside of a post, Poyet’s mind turned to substitutions. Off came the, once again, disappointing Adam Johnson – a winger Sunderland’s manager acknowledges is currently a shadow of the player he really should be – to be replaced by Will Buckley. After Lukaku’s next shot struck the outside of a post, Poyet’s mind turned to substitutions. Off came the, once again, underwhelming Johnson – a talent Sunderland’s manager acknowledges is a shadow of the player he really should be – to be replaced by Will Buckley. The former Brighton winger made an instant impact, his bold sashay forward being rudely abridged by Baines’s foul just outside the box.
Back on the bench it would have been interesting to read Jack Rodwell’s thoughts. The midfielder has struggled in the wake of his £10m summer move to Wearside from Manchester City. Might Rodwell now regret swapping Everton for City in the first place? Larsson capped a good game by reminding everyone of his dead ball expertise courtesy of an immaculate free-kick delivery curved, right foot, into the bottom corner.
In contrast, Buckley’s move from Brighton has been quite a success and the winger vindicated Poyet’s withdrawl of Johnson by making an instant impact. Indeed, Buckley had barely stepped onto the pitch before he sashayed forward only to be brought down by Leighton Baines. The Wearside celebrations proved short-lived. When Eto’o slipped a neat pass to Coleman, Wickham, serving as the last defender and denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity, rashly sent the Everton right-back crashing to earth.
Sebastian Larsson stepped forward to take the resultant free kick and reminded everyone of his dead-ball expertise courtesy of an immaculate delivery curved, right-footed, into the bottom left-hand corner. It looked a clear penalty and Lee Mason – who should arguably have sent off Wickham – was certainly not buying into Sunderland’s somewhat excessive protestations. Following a short delay Baines took the kick. It was far from the left-back’s finest penalty but nonetheless Pantilimon could not prevent the ball passing under his body en route to the back of the net. “It should have been a red card,” Martínez said. “It was a major moment.”
A crowd of close on 44,000 wondered if they were about to witness the rare experience of seeing Sunderland win two straight Premier League games but Wearside optimism soon evaporated. So, too, was the slightly surreal cameo which saw Howard control the ball outside his area with his stomach after dropping on it in a cat-like pounce. Although he did not use his arms, few goalkeeping manoeuvres are higher risk and Sunderland fans duly screamed “handball.”
When Eto’o slipped a neat pass to Coleman in the area, Wickham sent the Everton right-back crashing to earth. It looked a clear-cut penalty and Lee Mason was certainly not buying into Sunderland’s somewhat excessive protestations. Following a short delay Baines took the kick. It was far from the left back’s finest penalty but nonetheless Pantilimon could not prevent the ball passing under his body en route to the back of the net. “It was tough for the referee today, I wouldn’t have liked to be him,” said Poyet who liberated Jack Rodwell, once of Everton, from the bench, in place of Gómez.
Dismayed, Poyet finally sent Rodwell on in place of Gómez but with another goal stubbornly refusing to materialise all that remained was for the two managers, good friends and former Real Zaragoza team-mates, to share the warmest of embraces. Yet still a decisive goal stubbornly refused to materialise and all that remained was for the managers, former Real Zaragoza team-mates, to share the warmest of embraces.
“It was one of those games that was always in the balance,”Martínez. “We controlled it with ease for long spells but we didn’t use that control to create clear cut opportunities.”
Man of the match Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland)