Martin Wanless predicts…
Score prediction: Everton 1 Sunderland 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Xhaka
I thought our performance against Man Utd last time out was one of our best of the season, which was very pleasing to see, given our last performance at the Stadium of Light.
We go into our final away game of the season, against a team not in the greatest of form, but needing points to push for Europe – and we need a win to keep any faint hopes alive.
I think neither side will get the three points, and we’ll get a 1-1 draw,
with Xhaka getting a rare goal for us. If we can stop the pathetic excuse for a Sunderland manager David Moyes from being happy, that’s a good day for me.
I still blame him largely for what happened to SAFC during and after his gutless season in charge. Bear a grudge? You bet.
‘The Champion’ Malc Dugdale predicts…
Score prediction: Everton 0 Sunderland 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Granit Xhaka
If we want to stay in the hunt for Europe we have to win, and I think we will, but narrowly.
Granit in my view should have added more goals this season, and today I am expecting him to lead from the front and bag a goal.
The lads need to be tight at the back, have a go (we have nothing to lose) and see if we can keep our narrow chances of Europe alive.
One up on Moyes, and let’s see how we do at home to Chelsea. Let’s give it our best go, lads.
Jack Howe-Gingell predicts…
Score prediction: Everton 1 Sunderland 2
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brian Brobbey
After a season where they were tipped to struggle, Everton have had a decent season and it won’t be easy to go there and get something.
Traditionally, I’ve always quite liked Everton due to the Reidy connection and their attitude towards the Bradley Lowery cause. Sadly, they are managed by arguably the worst manager I’ve ever had to suffer so I want us to paste them any time we play against him.
We were unlucky not to get three points against a decent Man United team and I think we will take that performance and run with it here.
A Brobbey goal to get us going and then a narrow win, to set us nicely for our final game of the season against Chelsea, with what has been a wonderful time back.
Will Jones predicts…
Score prediction: Everton 1 Sunderland 2
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Noah Sadiki
We’ve already gone to Hill Dickinson this season in the cup and got the win, so there’s no reason to fear it this time round. It’ll be tight, it’ll be scrappy, but we’ve still got that outside sniff of Europe and this is exactly the sort of away win that keeps the door open.
Sadiki’s yet to score, but he’s getting closer every week, the runs, the timing, the confidence. Feels like the perfect moment for him to finally break the duck. Everton will land one, but we’ve got enough to hit them again once the game opens up.
A massive three points going into the final day if it lands.
Matty Foster predicts…
Score prediction: Everton 1 Sunderland 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brian Brobbey
The performance was fantastic against Man Utd, which is why the result felt so disappointing.
Everton will be a tough fixture. They’ve had a solid season and still have high hopes of sneaking into Europe.
Their last five have seen zero wins, so they’ll be hoping to get back to winning ways in their last home fixture of the season.
I would absolutely love sticking it to arguably our worst manager of this century.
But as I said before Utd, I genuinely don’t see us winning again this season.
I’ll back a draw, having drawn both our fixtures against them so far (in normal time!)
Anthony Gair predicts…
Score prediction: Everton 0 Sunderland
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Brian Brobbey
A trip across to Merseyside is rarely a stroll, but the way we’ve gone about ourselves all season I fancy us to nick this one and keep our slim chances of Europe alive.
Brobbey to get us going inside the opening half hour, big lad bullying their back line and finally getting the rub of the green in front of goal.
Second half we manage it properly, see them off without much fuss, and one of the subs taps in a late one for good measure.
Three more points, a peek at eighth, and another reminder to the rest of the league that the Lads aren’t going anywhere. Europa League next season, mind.
Gary Winter predicts…
Score prediction: Everton 1 Sunderland 1
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Enzo Le Fee
After a solid outing against Man Utd, confidence should be high as we could easily have taken 3 points. It did feel like Utd had little to play for though.
Everton away is a tough fixture. There’s little to separate these sides at the moment in the league, and only penalties decided it back in January. Both teams are in the mix for the last European qualification spots, but equally, it feels like a tall order for either to make it. Two wins are a must and then it’s down to various other favourable results around.
After two consecutive 1-1 draws between the two teams, I’m going to predict… 1-1. I think Enzo can add to his tally here like he did in the FA Cup.
Brett Lyons-Davis predicts…
Score prediction: Everton 1 Sunderland 2
Sunderland’s first goalscorer: Enzo Le Fée
Last away day of the season. The lads looked great against an inform United last week and will have been disappointed to only come away with a point.
Everton managed by the grim reaper himself, are in a patchy run of form with one win in the last 7 so it’s a game we can hopefully get something out of that keeps our slim hopes of Europe alive.
Enzo is due a goal and I can see him getting us off the mark in what could be a tight game.
Last time out…
We finished the game against Man Utd feeling robbed, and even the most glass-half-empty SAFC fan would have been miffed we didn’t get 3 points.
Mr Misfit Geertruida hit the post with probably the closest chance, and from start to finish, we had way more of that game than the visitors did, but it was not to be.
Today, we need to take it to Moyes’ lot and get something. The Lads have no reason not to go for it, and with the slim chances of a berth in Europe available, why not give it our best shot?
Let’s have it, lads!
Last game predictions…
Three lads shouted for a draw, while nobody called a nil nil killing any hopes of a point for first scorer, but a draw is a good point and the lads who called that will be happy in terms of our little league as well.
The rest of the lads went for an ambitious win or an expected loss, and thankfully the negative half were all wrong.
Predictions table and standings
The odd point here and there for those who called a draw didnt really change things much.
Malc has a two point lead with two to go.
Gair is formally the wooden spoon winner, but will want to go out with a scrap, being one of the north easts most hard working lads.
Everyone from 2nd to 7th could get on the podium, with two to go.
Not quite Man City Vs Arsenal, but we love it.
How the points are awarded
Just a quick reminder of how we allocate points to our match-by-match predictions:
- Correct score = Three points
- Correct outcome (but not correct score) = One point
- Correct first Sunderland goalscorer = One point (no goalscorer is a valid call)
- Possible deductions for being lazy and not submitting on time = a two-point deduction.
