Granit Xhaka expressed his belief that Sunderland's slow start against Everton cost them the win, though he was pleased to secure a draw. Iliman Ndiaye gave Everton an early lead, but they failed to capitalise
on further opportunities. Xhaka equalised just 42 seconds into the second half. Sunderland pressed for a winner, but Trai Hume and Nordi Mukiele missed late chances, resulting in a shared point.
Everton had several opportunities to extend their lead after Ndiaye's goal. Jack Grealish hit the post, and Thierno Barry missed from close range. Vitalii Mykolenko's late attempt was saved by Robin Roefs, while Carlos Alcaraz wasted a counter-attack by hesitating in stoppage time. Most of Everton's chances came in the first half, where they accumulated 0.84 of their 0.86 expected goals (xG).
Sunderland have gained more points from losing positions than any other Premier League team this season, with eight points earned this way. Despite Everton's efforts to prevent Sunderland from increasing that tally, they couldn't stop Xhaka's deflected goal. This goal was the second-fastest scored after half-time this season, only behind Hugo Ekitike's goal against Newcastle United in August.
Xhaka highlighted Sunderland’s poor opening 25 minutes as a key reason for not securing all three points. "To be honest, we lost the three points today in the first 20/25 minutes," he told Sky Sports. "Sloppy on the ball, too many mistakes. " He praised their second-half performance and noted that with a bit more luck, they could have won.
David Moyes remains unbeaten in his last five Premier League matches against former clubs (one win and four draws). However, since returning to Everton in January, his team has drawn more top-flight games than any other side (10). Moyes lamented their failure to convert chances when they were dominating.
Moyes commented on their performance: "I thought for 20, 30 minutes I would be disappointed if I go home with a point. " He acknowledged that Sunderland gained confidence when Everton sat back after missing a chance to make it 2-0. Moyes admitted that managing the game better could have led to a different result.
Reflecting on his return to the Premier League, Xhaka said he understood the club’s project and aimed to contribute both experience and quality daily. "I hope I can help them," he stated. Scoring his first goal for Sunderland brought him joy as he aims to give everything on the pitch.
Moyes recognised that while coming away with a point at Sunderland isn't bad, he expected more given their early dominance. He noted that luck played a role in Sunderland’s equaliser but emphasised that shooting can sometimes bring fortune.
